Curriculum for the RED Major (Effective Fall 2024)

This is the curriculum required for all students that ENTERED UCSD Fall 2024 and later. Students who started at UCSD prior to Fall 2024 are held to the previous curriculum requirements and should check this page for details.

A Bachelor of Science degree in real estate and development will be given to students who satisfactorily complete the general-education requirements of their college in addition to the real estate and development courses described below. The undergraduate RED major requires 8-9 lower division courses and 12 upper division courses including the required two-quarter Capstone Studio Sequence. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the lower division requirements before they enroll in the upper division courses.

Lower-division* and upper-division requirements must be taken for a letter grade, and graded C- or higher to count toward the major. *USP 50, which is a 2-unit lower division requirement, is the only major requirement that can be completed with Pass/No Pass grading.

A 2.0 grade-point average is required for all courses in the major. You can declare the major using the major/minor tool.

Transfer students should see the USP student affairs advisor to determine whether courses taken elsewhere satisfy RED major requirements. No more than one special studies course, USP 198, USP 199, will be accepted to count towards the major.

Lower Division Requirements

8 or 9 Courses Required

USP 1: History of U.S. Urban Communities OR USP 2: Urban World Systems OR USP 6: Introduction to Global Architecture
USP 5: Introduction to the Real Estate and Development Process
USP 15: Applied Urban Economics for Planning and Development (to be taken after completion of ECON 1)
USP 25: Real Estate Principles and Analysis
USP 50: Real Estate and Development Colloquium (2 units, only Pass/No Pass allowed in major)
MATH 10A: Calculus 1 OR MATH 20A: Calculus for Science and Engineering OR MGT 3: Quantitative Methods
ECON 1: Principles of Microeconomics
*ECON 4/MGT 4: Financial Accounting
*MGT 5: Managerial Accounting (ECON4/MGT4 and MGT 5 may be replaced with MGT 45)

Upper Division Requirements

12 Courses Required

five (5) Foundation Courses
one (1) Technical Elective
one (1) Sustainable Planning/Sustainable Development Course
two (2) Capstone Studio Sequence Courses
two (3) Upper-Division Elective Courses

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses provide the conceptual tools for the major. Students are to complete the following five (5) foundation courses:

USP 124: Land Use Planning
USP 150: Real Estate and Development Law and Regulation
USP 151: Real Estate Planning and Development
- Prerequisite: USP 5
USP 152A: Real Estate Development Finance and Investment
- Prerequisites: USP 15 and USP 25
USP 153: Real Estate and Development Market Analysis

Technical Elective

Students are to choose one (1) course of:

USP 172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP 175: Site Analysis
USP 177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP 183GS: International Urban Design Practicum
USP 191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
- Prerequisite: USP 4

Sustainable Planning/Sustainable Development Course

Students are to choose one (1) course of:

USP 169: Introduction to Green Building
- Prerequisite: USP 124
USP 170: Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP 171: Sustainable Development
USP 171GS: International Sustainable Development (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)

Capstone Sequence

In their senior year, all RED majors must complete the Capstone Studio Sequence, in order:

USP 185A: Real Estate Finance and Development Studio I (offered only in fall)
- Prerequisites: USP 5*, USP 15*, USP 25*, USP 50*, USP 124, USP 151, USP 152A, and USP 153
USP 185B: Real Estate Finance and Development Studio II (offered only in winter)
- Prerequisite: USP 185A and Technical Elective*

*Prerequisites effective Fall 2025

Upper Division Electives

Students are to choose three (3) courses from the list below. Be sure to check the catalog for any prerequisites.

ECON 116: Economic Development
ECON 125: Demographic Analysis and Forecasting
ECON 131: Economics of the Environment
USP 120: Urban Planning, Infrastructure, and Real Estate
USP 137: Housing and Community Development Policy and Practice
USP 138: Urban Economic Development
USP 152B: Advanced Real Estate Development Finance and Investment
USP 155: Real Estate Development in Global and Comparative Perspective
USP 158A: Advanced Special Topics in Real Estate & Development
USP 159A: NAIOP Real Estate University Challenge I
USP 165B: Advanced Special Topics in Sustainability
USP 169: Introduction to Green Building
USP 170. Planning for Sustainable Communities
USP 171: Sustainable Development
USP 171GS: International Sustainable Development
USP 172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP 173: History of Urban Planning and Design
USP 175: Site Analysis
USP 177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP 177B: Advanced Urban Design
USP 179: Urban Design, Theory, and Practice
USP 180: Transportation Planning
USP 181: Public Transportation
USP 183GS: International Urban Design Practicum (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP 190: Senior Honors Seminar
USP 191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
USP 191B: Advanced Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
MGT 112: Global Business Strategy
MGT 153: Business Analytics
MGT 157: Real Estate Securitization
MGT 158: Real Estate and the Tech Sector
MGT 162: Negotiation
MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership
MGT 166: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
MGT 172: Business Project Management
MGT 181: Enterprise Finance

Double Major and/or Minor Options

Many students will consider adding a second major or minor during their time at UC San Diego. Below are some of the most common double major and minor options for the RED Major. We have listed the five most popular at the top. Please follow the links for more information. Any additional questions can be submitted to the respective departments through the Virtual Advising Center.