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Course Catalog

The Pappas Program is proud to offer 10 graduate-level courses in real estate development.

RED 501: Principles of Real Estate Development

  • Instructor Adam Walters, PLA, ASLA, ISA, and Imran Aukhil, MBA, MArch
  • Typically taught Fall + Spring semesters, Tuesdays + Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Sections RED 501.001/LAR 582.009/ARC 590.008

This course introduces the foundations of real estate development and will introduce students to market analysis, capital markets, site development, pro forma, and the funding of real estate development projects. Throughout the semester, students will learn to understand, explain, analyze, and play the role that a developer of real estate undertakes to transform an idea into a constructed project. Other topics addressed include community planning, entitlements, design, construction, and asset management. A variety of real estate development projects are explored during the semester, including residential, retail, office, hospitality, industrial, and mixed-use.

RED 511: ULI Urban Plan Practicum

  • Instructor Adam Walters, PLA, ASLA, ISA
  • Typically taught Spring semester, Mondays, 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
  • Sections RED 511.001/LAR 582.021/ARC 590.009

Over the course of the semester, students take on roles and form teams to respond to a Request for Proposals from the City of Yorktown, to redevelop a six-block area of the city. Students must reconcile competing agendas and consider tradeoffs to create a well-designed, market-responsive, and sustainable project. Each student team creates a financial proforma and a physical model of their plan and presents their proposal to a mock City Council that awards the development contract to the winning team.

RED 512: How Cities Are Built

  • Instructors Imran Aukhil, MBA, MArch and Joe Michael, AIA
  • Typically taught Spring semester, Tuesdays + Thursdays, 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Sections RED 512.001/LAR 582.022

Help build a better city. Sitting at the crossroads of architecture, planning, and real estate, this hands-on practicum tackles real priorities identified by the City of Raleigh—using design, economics, and policy to address pressing local housing, infrastructure, and public space needs.

RED 521: Real Estate Development and Construction

  • Instructor Dr. Martin, PE, SE, GE, PLS
  • Typically taught Spring Semester, Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
  • Section RED 521.001

Walk through a real estate project from vision and entitlements into the field and through closeout. This course covers scheduling, budgeting, contracts, progress tracking, and the legal and regulatory framework that governs the work. The semester centers on real projects, with lectures, discussion, and fieldwork, to have a stronger understanding of construction management.

RED 522: Real Estate Site Design and Development

  • Instructor Dr. Martin, PE, SE, GE, PLS
  • Typically taught Fall semester, Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
  • Section RED 522.001

This course provides students with an overview of the site design development process, integrating disciplines of landscape architecture and civil engineering, as well as transportation, water resources, environmental, geotechnical, and construction. Emphasizing the importance of innovative and iterative design thinking, this course examines the role of the developer as the project designer and their role in leading, managing and collaborating with a design team, construction team, and project stakeholders to implement real estate development. Students will assume the role of lead site designer for a development company and be responsible for managing key elements of a specific project.

RED 541: Real Estate Development Law

  • Instructor Mack Paul, JD
  • Typically taught Fall semester, Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
  • Section RED 541.001

This course will introduce students to local and state legal concepts that are relevant in real estate law and familiarize students with terminology, concepts and procedures. Although the primary focus will be land use and entitlement, the course will also cover other areas of law and policy relevant to urban planning, including real estate law, Constitutional law, environmental law, contract law, and administrative law.

RED 542: Applied Real Estate Economics

  • Instructors Jason Kogok
  • Typically taught Fall semester, Mondays + Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Section RED 542.001

This comprehensive course offers an in-depth exploration of real estate investing, finance, and economics, with a strong focus on commercial real estate and its unique financial structures & economic inputs. Dive into the essentials of analyzing cash flow statements, including capital expenditures (CapEx) and depreciation, and learn to navigate traditional and alternative loan types. Key topics include tax strategies, debt & equity markets, opportunity costs, and a host of other important economic factors involved in all real estate asset classes. Gain insight into financing methods as well as understanding the basic financial metrics like Net Operating Income (NOI), Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate), Return on Investment (ROI), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Yield on Cost (YOC) and other variables. You will also be introduced to topics in residential real estate to serve as a knowledge base as you transition into the commercial real estate genre. Special guest speakers and industry leaders in real estate will provide valuable insights on many topics, and give real-world case studies and applications to further the lessons. This course will equip you with the essential practical skills, strategies, and economic frameworks needed for success in both residential and commercial real estate ventures. Students are required to complete assigned readings and assignments and come to class prepared to engage in lively conversation about the topics at hand.

RED 543: Real Estate Funding Analysis + Decision-Making

  • Instructors Jason Kogok
  • Typically taught Spring semesters, Mondays + Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Section RED 543.001

Unlock the power of real estate finance with this hands-on course designed to make you fluent in financial modeling, deal structuring, and investment analysis. Dive into real-world case studies and master tools like IRR, DSCR, and understand the variations in return waterfalls as you evaluate capital stacks and risk-adjusted returns. You’ll learn to interpret dynamic proformas and defend investment decisions under shifting market conditions. If you’re serious about understanding what drives investment success, this is the course for you.

RED 544: Housing, Culture, Policy + Production

  • Instructor Thomas Barrie, FAIA
  • Typically taught Fall semester, Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
  • Sections RED 544.001/ARC 590.001

This course critically examines and analyzes North American cultural, political, and economic contexts and current trends in land-use planning, housing policy, and production methods. The intersecting complex systems of housing are explicated through historical cultural contexts, dominant zoning, finance and production systems, contemporary reforms, alternative housing and ownership types, and leading-edge fabrication and construction technologies and methods. Each week has a particular focus, which is addressed by readings, lectures, and discussions.

RED 590: Real Estate Market and Data Analytics

  • Instructor Alyson Bode, CRE
  • Typically taught Fall, Mondays, 1:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
  • Section RED 590.005

This class focuses on the beginning stages of real estate project development, covering data analytics and methodologies of real estate market analysis, economic trends, and demographic indicators within the development process.