Real Estate & Leadership (MSc)

Please note: This degree programme is currently not open for enrolment. Are you interested in a part-time study programme with a focus on management? Then we recommend our Master's degree programme in Innovation Management (MSc), which allows you to specialise from the second semester onwards.

Study Profile

The Master of Science programme Real Estate & Leadership is an holistic, interdisciplinary and real estate sector-specific study programme with extensive scientific content and strong research orientation. It is designed for ambitious Bachelor graduates with knowledge in engineering, architecture, urban planning and business administration as well as young professionals already working and looking for the next challenge. The programme focuses on the real estate sector and combines all herewith involved stakeholders: the community, the investor, the producer and the user.

Interdisciplinarity means merging real estate planning, engineering and business aspects. The MSc allows future generalists and managers to acquire the requisite knowledge and encourages them to think strategically and sustainably. As a result, the Master’s programme combines theoretical specialist knowledge and established management concepts with the continuing development of personal skills.

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Highlights of the Study Course

  • Support by 20+ companies from the Real Estae & Leadership Foundation, i.a. in form of a 100% scholarship for students opting for the Fast-Track

  • Unique REaL Practice Partnership Programme offering structured, research-oriented internships at renowned companies of the real estate industry

  • Strong support by HSBA professors who closely cooperate with lecturers from industry and other leading universities

  • Innovative research opportunities relevant to practice

  • Study trip to a global real estate hub

  • Cooperation with the Immobilien Zeitung by offering a 100% IZ scholarship

Facts on the Study Course

Students Maximum of 30 per group
Degree Master of Science with the right to proceed to doctoral studies
Credits 120 ECTS
Language English
Course Duration Regular-Track: 30 months, Fast-Track: 24 months
Course Organisation Contact hours in approximately one full-time week per month; the total study workload is up to 30 hours per week
Patronage Real Estate & Leadership Foundation e.V.
Accreditation FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation)

Impressions from our Students

Marie Kryska

"The Masters programme Real Estate & Leadership at HSBA combines theoretical knowledge with practical examples. The biggest advantages for us students are the opportunities to talk to industry experts, meet local planning authorities and visit construction sites in order to understand every aspect of the real estate business and get to know the parties involved.“

Marie Kryska
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2022)
HSBA Katharina Tietz

"As a real estate "young star" - with a background in business administration and finance - I was looking for a degree programme that would enable me to develop my skills and abilities in a challenging environment. In the MSc Real Estate & Leadership, I have not only found this environment but have been challenged to face the daily adaptations, which the real estate market demands."

Katharina Sophie Tietz
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2020)
HSBA Lukas Hoberg

"During my urban planning studies at the HCU, my interest in complex contexts in the city grew. At HSBA I can now further develop this knowledge with a specific focus on real estate development. In versatile modules, all phases of the real estate cycle are taken into account. What is particularly exciting for me is the combination of questions on real estate in combination with approaches to sustainability."

Lukas Hoberg
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2019)
HSBA Sina Sauer

"I graduated as a city planner, but something was missing. I wanted a degree in real estate, practical and related to the Hamburg real estate industry. Here at HSBA different people from different backgrounds meet. Although I do not have a Bachelor's degree in business administration, I feel very happy at HSBA. All REaL students work alongside the MSc programme and in combination with a scholarship, it is possible to pay the tuition fees. HSBA is the right place for people who want to grow and be future players in the growing real estate sector."

Sina Christien Sauer
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2020)
HSBA Raoul Höfer

"In my engineering studies, I missed subjects such as project management, business administration and architecture. That is why I chose this programme. The interdisciplinary approach convinced me above all. Here I quickly realised that engineers speak a completely different language than architects or economists. Due to the various professional backgrounds, we come up with completely different approaches and new perspectives are developed. This provides an incentive for many interesting discussions and makes the study programme fun."

Raoul Höfer
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2020)
HSBA Kristin Sammüller

"The real estate industry is undergoing change and needs well-trained and interdisciplinary specialists and managers. The MSc Real Estate & Leadership is a good supplement to my previous knowledge as a city planner. The course conveys the needs of various stakeholders in a real estate project and enables students to take on higher-level perspectives in order to design effective processes for the future. In particular, the combination of theory and practice forms a good basis for my further career."

Kristin Sammüller
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2019)
Mark Andresen

"After completing my bachelor's degree in architecture, I chose the MSc Real Estate and Leadership programme to gain a holistic view of the construction and real estate industry. Here at HSBA I enjoy qualitative, interdisciplinary teaching that provides me with the bigger picture. The mixed group of business economists, engineers and architects promotes the understanding and cooperation of the different disciplines and creates a holistic insight into a project. Its variety and practical relevance characterise this study course."

Mark Andresen
MSc Real Estate & Leadership (Class of 2020)

Cooperation Companies of the Real Estate & Leadership Foundation e.V.

Logo APO Projekt
Logo Art Invest
Logo Assmann
Logo BHF
Logo Böcker
Logo DC Developments
Logo DZ HYP
Logo DITTING
Logo Drees & Sommer
Logo ECE Projektmanagement
Logo EY Ernst & Young
Logo GARBE.
Logo Hamburg Trust
Logo Haspa
Logo HIH Real Estate
Logo JLL
Logo Patrizia
Logo pbr
Logo Redos
Logo Sutor Stiftung
Union Investment
Völkel
Wentzel

Study Structure

120 ECTS must be acquired over the course of the study programme. The credits are spread over 20 modules with 5 ECTS each and the Master’s thesis.

The students start-off the programme with the Built Environment & Engineering of real estate, thereby receiving valuable insights into architectural principles,urban planning as well as construction and project management. The Development & Markets phase of the course offers an overview of the market environment and focuses on project development, stakeholder management and communication in real estate. Management & Strategy deals with the management of the property itself and the business supplemented by topics of entrepreneurship and digitalisation.  

The Specialisation & Innovation part of the course offers the unique possibility to gain further insights into innovative topics of the industry. The interdisciplinary modules Sustainability & Leadership are taught throughout the course and guide the students in order to become responsible future generalists with in-depth insights into the specific characteristics of the pro­perty sector.

Study Plan

  • Introduction Week
    • Organisation & Rules
    • Fundamentals of Sustainability & Leadership
  • Housing, Urban & Spatial Development
    • Urban Planning
    • Zoning Law & Processes
    • Housing Industry
  • Architecture
    • Semiotics
    • Urban & Environmental Context
    • Architectural Principles
  • Building Technology
    • Understand and Evaluate Building Structures & Façade Solutions
    • Fundamental Technological Decisions
    • Sustainable Real Estate Life Cycles
  • Project Management & Construction
    • Project Organisation & Management  
    • Construction Business Processes
  • Law & Tax (Part I)
    • Contracts
    • Financing & Transactions
    • Tax Law
    • Types of Entreprises
Interdisciplinary Modules: Leadership (40h | 5 ECTS) | Sustainability (40h | 5 ECTS)
  • Markets & Asset Classes
    • International Real Estate Markets
    • Building Typologies
  • Project Development
    • Types of Developments
    • Processes
    • Feasibility & Funding
  • Communications & Marketing
    • Stakeholder Management & Communication
    • Sales
    • Strategic Aspects of Marketing Management
    • Branding Policy
    • Conflict Theory & Dispute Resolution
  • Study Trip

    Studienexkursion zu einem globalen Real Estate Hub

  • Law & Tax (Part II)
    • Contracts
    • Financing & Transactions
    • Tax Law
    • Types of Entreprises
  • Investment & Finance (Part I)
    • Profitability Analysis
    • Recap
    • Investment Rules
Interdisciplinary Modules: Leadership (40h | 5 ECTS) | Sustainability (40h | 5 ECTS)
  • Asset Management & Portfolio Strategies
    • CREM
    • PREM
    • Portfolio Management
  • Real Estate Management & Facilities
    • Fundamentals
    • Asset Management
    • Due Diligences
  • Economics & Business Administration
    • Macroeconomics
    • Accounting Principles
    • Business Administration
  • Digitalisation
    • Real Estate Innovations
    • Digital Tools
    • Business Model Processes
  • Investment & Finance (Part II)
    • Profitability Analysis
    • Recap
    • Investment Rules
Interdisciplinary Modules: Leadership (40h | 5 ECTS) | Sustainability (40h | 5 ECTS)
  • Specialisation

    Studients can choose three from the following specialisations:

    • Data Science & Digital Real Estate
    • Development
    • Sustainable Solutions
    • Communications
    • Management Challenges
    • Real Estate & Society
    • Buildings
    • Buildings in Use
  • Digital Toolbox
    • Business Process Information
    • Data Business
    • Digital Communication & Marketing Technologies
    • Digital Strategy
    • Intrapreneur
    • Programming
    • Or take part in an international student competition
  • Master-Thesis Fast-Track & Colloquium

    Students can start with the Master's thesis either in semester 4 parallel to the other modules (Fast-Track) or in semester 5 (Regular-Track). The topics should have a strong reference to current challenges in the industry and can be defined in a practice-oriented way together with the Real Estate & Leadership Foundation.

Interdisciplinary Modules: Leadership (40h | 5 ECTS) | Sustainability (40h | 5 ECTS)
  • Master Thesis Regular-Track & Colloquium

    Students can start with the Master's thesis either in semester 4 parallel to the other modules (Fast-Track) or in semester 5 (Regular-Track). The topics should have a strong reference to current challenges in the industry and can be defined in a practice-oriented way together with the Real Estate & Leadership Foundation.

Interdisciplinary Modules: Leadership (40h | 5 ECTS) | Sustainability (40h | 5 ECTS)

Partner Companies

Liesner & Co. GmbH
EVEREST GmbH
Alsterbuben GmbH
BERENBERG Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co. KG
Deloitte GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken GmbH
Lother GmbH
WTS Advisory AG
wpbf GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Facelift brand building technologies GmbH
CLUE ONE GMBH & CO. KG
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft
Maersk Deutschland A/S & Co. KG
GRYN GmbH
ABOUT YOU SE & Co. KG
agiles Informationssysteme GmbH
Help Tech GmbH
MPC Capital AG
Innovabee GmbH
Philips GmbH Market DACH
HELM AG
Strenger Holding GmbH
PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Brightpoint Fund Services GmbH
HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration
GBA Group
Beiersdorf AG
ZELOS Management Consultants
BeraCom Beratung und Software-Entwicklung GmbH & Co. KG
Metroplan Holding GmbH
IBM Deutschland GmbH
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Tomorrow GmbH
IMPACT GmbH
Montblanc-Simplo GmbH
SOLAR-ENERGIEDACH GmbH PV
leogistics GmbH
Encavis AG
BIEGLO GmbH
cervacon GmbH
Do it Education GmbH
REM Capital
KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
AÜG NETZWERK Human Resources GmbH