BS Real Estate Finance and Development (REFD)

• BS Real Estate Finance and Development

  BS Real Estate and Finance in Development (REFD) is a groundbreaking joint degree offered in partnership by the USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Price School of Public Policy. The program combines the strengths of Marshall in real estate finance and investment and the strengths of Price in real estate development and urban planning for an innovative and immersive experience for students beginning in the Fall of 2024.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

• JOINT DEGREE

  The BS Real Estate Finance and Development (REFD) degree is a four-year 128-unit program in which students take courses at both Marshall and Price and their diplomas will reflect the names of both schools upon graduation. Students will take courses in in real estate finance and investment at Marshall and in real estate development and urban planning at Price.

• CURRICULUM

  Students will enroll in a comprehensive core curriculum from each school, an applied project class, and complete two summer internships. Students will benefit from integrated courses, cohort building, and industry engagement – all while graduating in four years with one diploma endorsed by two schools.

• INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

  Success in the real estate industry requires both expert financial skill and a keen understanding of planning, land use, and development. This degree offers students a deep dive into all these facets of the industry and will feature frequent interactions with experienced real estate professionals, drawing on both schools’ rich expertise and long history in real estate education and industry engagement. Both schools enjoy close ties to local, regional and national real estate development and investment firms.

  
  

  
  

• Cohort Experience

  The program will admit it's first students as incoming freshmen in the fall of 2024, with an anticipated initial class size of less than 50 students.

Teaching + Innovation

Undergraduate Joint Degrees

"The analytical, technical, entrepreneurial, and leadership skills students acquire at Marshall will help them unleash their potential to create transformational ideas for world changing impact."

— Dean Geoffrey Garrett

ACADEMIC OVERVIEW

During their freshman and sophomore years, students will establish a solid foundation in Business and Real Estate. This groundwork is achieved through core courses in Economics, Accounting, and Finance, coupled with introductory classes on Real Estate. Paired with concurrent career preparation courses, this comprehensive foundation equips students for hands-on internship experiences following their sophomore year. In their junior and senior years, students will delve into more advanced aspects of Real Estate, including Finance, Investment, Development, and Planning, through in-depth coursework and experiential learning opportunities.

APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM

• DATES + DEADLINES

  See all undergraduate application dates and deadlines HERE.
  

• FIRST-YEAR INFO SESSIONS

  Virtual Information Sessions designed for high school juniors / seniors / families for a comprehensive overview of Marshall are on Wednesdays at 11:00A and 3:00P PT. 

  REGISTER HERE
  

• CAMPUS TOURS

  Learn about USC On-Campus Tours HERE. Student-Led, Self-Guided, and Virtual Tours are all available.

• INFORMATION FOR ADMITTED STUDENTS

  Register for an online session through the USC PORTAL. If you have any questions about attending an event, you can always reach out to the Undergraduate Admission office directly: EMAIL
  

• APPLY NOW

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

• Marshall Real Estate Finance Association

  MREFA represents the educational, pre-professional and social interests of students pursuing studies and careers in Real Estate Finance at the USC Marshall School of Business. MREFA is open to all USC students, and activities include industry panels and speaker events, weekly general member meetings, technical trainings (ARGUS, underwriting, financial modeling), and possible office tours, treks, and other hands-on professional development opportunities. MORE
  

• ALL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

INSIGHT + ANALYSIS

View previous content

• Interview: Davide Proserpio on Marketplace

  PROSERPIO, associate professor of marketing, speaks with NPR's MARKETPLACE about New York's City's strict position on short-term rentals and the correlation between Airbnb inventory and rental rates.

  LISTEN TO INTERVIEW Interview: Davide Proserpio on Marketplace
• Quoted: Richard Green on NPR's Marketplace

  GREEN, professor of finance and business economics, offers a counter perspective to research New York City commissioned that contends Airbnb rentals directly influence long-term rental rates.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Richard Green on NPR's Marketplace
• Interview: Davide Proserpio on NPR

  PROSERPIO, associate professor of marketing, and his research is showcased in a NPR piece examining the effects of Airbnbs in Seattle.

  GO TO INTERVIEW Interview: Davide Proserpio on NPR
• Cited: Marco Giacoletti on Rational Reminder

  Work by GIACOLETTI, assistant professor of finance and business economics, looking at housing transactions in California is discussed on RATIONAL REMINDER.

  GO TO ARTICLE Cited: Marco Giacoletti on Rational Reminder
• Quoted: Davide Proserpio on DeviceDaily

  PROSERPIO, associate professor of marketing, speaks to DEVICEDAILY about the findings of his recent research and the immediate effects on the housing market.
  

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Davide Proserpio on DeviceDaily

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ALL INSIGHT + ANALYSIS

NEWS + EVENTS

View previous content

• USC Marshall and USC Price Announce Joint Degree in Real Estate

  Undergraduate joint degree will build on the strengths of both schools to create a world-class real estate program.
  

  MORE USC Marshall and USC Price Announce Joint Degree in Real Estate
• Nadine Watt: On Leadership and Giving Back
  

  If you’re a young woman looking to enter the real estate development side, Nadine Watt would love to hear from you.
  

  MORE Nadine Watt: On Leadership and Giving Back
• Alumni Profile: Ben Frazer

  Co-Founder of Highland Real Estate Partners, a vertically integrated manager of private real estate investments.

  MORE Alumni Profile: Ben Frazer
• USC Marshall, Price Students Win Cornell International Real Estate Case Competition

  It was the first year Trojans were invited to compete…and they took home first place.
  

  MORE USC Marshall, Price Students Win Cornell International Real Estate Case Competition
• Learning About REITs

  A class about Real Estate Investment Trusts encourages students to think critically and hone their investing skills.

  MORE Learning About REITs

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ALL NEWS + EVENTS