BS Real Estate Finance and Development (REFD)

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.

Program Highlights

Program Showcase: REFD

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

• Quoted: Richard Green in L.A. Times

  In the wake of the L.A. fires, Green explains that rebuilding will requiring engaging with people to determine what they want and expect going forward.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Richard Green in L.A. Times
• Quoted: Richard Green in Realtor.com

  Green says California’s insurance rules may lead homeowners in high-risk areas to self-insure.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Richard Green in Realtor.com
• Quoted: James Leonetti in Financial Advisor 

  Leonetti, adjunct professor of accounting, speaks to Financial Advisor about the financial impact of the L.A. fires on banks and the challenges surrounding jumbo loans.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: James Leonetti in Financial Advisor 
• OpEd: Nikhil Malik in Boston Globe (Paywall). 

  Based on his research, MALIK, assistant professor of marketing, writes in the Boston Globe on the need for transparency as Zillow's AI housing price algorithms might be distorting the market.

  GO TO ARTICLE OpEd: Nikhil Malik in Boston Globe (Paywall). 
• Quoted: Richard Green in Finance-Commerce 

  GREEN, professor of finance business and economics, tells Clever Real Estate that mortgage rates in 2025 could rise as they generally move in the same direction as the Fed rates.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Richard Green in Finance-Commerce 
• Quoted: Marco Giacoletti in the Wall Street Journal 

  GIACOLETTI, assistant professor of finance and business economics, explains to WSJ how strict building regulations in LA County have long limited new construction and will be a key factor to rebuilding after the fires.

  GO TO ARTICLE Quoted: Marco Giacoletti in the Wall Street Journal 

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ALL INSIGHT + ANALYSIS

NEWS + EVENTS

View previous content

• USC Marshall Celebrates Tavakoli Center for Real Estate Naming Ceremony

  USC President Folt, Dean Garrett, and Provost Guzman joined industry leaders, faculty, and alumni to celebrate the launch of the new real estate center.

  MORE USC Marshall Celebrates Tavakoli Center for Real Estate Naming Ceremony
• Marshall Minds Ep. 6: “The Impact of Wildfires on L.A. County’s Housing Market”

  Marco Giacoletti, assistant professor of finance and business economics, explains his and his colleagues’ analysis of the Los Angeles wildfire damage and its implications for the county.

  MORE Marshall Minds Ep. 6: “The Impact of Wildfires on L.A. County’s Housing Market”
• USC Marshall Announces $10 Million Gift from Andrew Tavakoli to Establish Center for Real Estate

  As part of this gift, the Tavakoli Matching Challenge for Real Estate will inspire philanthropy and secure USC’s position as the premier center for real estate education, research, and innovation.

  MORE USC Marshall Announces $10 Million Gift from Andrew Tavakoli to Establish Center for Real Estate
• OMBA Course Inspires Trojans To Found Investment Group

  Marshall’s Online MBA program inspired these friends to start 1880 Capital, an investment group geared toward the Trojan Network.
  

  MORE OMBA Course Inspires Trojans To Found Investment Group
• A Q&A with Erica Jiang on the Newest Real Estate Crisis

  Banks and building owners are in a moment of turmoil. What can be done?
  

  MORE A Q&A with Erica Jiang on the Newest Real Estate Crisis
• 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

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ALL NEWS + EVENTS