Curriculum for the RED Major (Prior to Fall 2024)

This is the curriculum required for all students that ENTERED UCSD prior to Fall 2024. Students who started at UCSD in Fall 2024 or later are held to new curriculum requirements and should check the RED Major Requirements Prior to Fall 2024 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 eight lower division courses, ten upper division courses and 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.

All courses taken to satisfy RED major requirements must be taken for a letter grade and a C- or better must be earned for major credit. *Only USP-050, which is a 2-unit lower division course 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

Required Courses:

USP-001: History of U.S. Urban Communities OR USP-002: Urban World Systems OR USP-006: Introduction to Global Architecture
USP-005: Introduction to the Real Estate and Development Process
USP-015: Applied Urban Economics for Planning and Development (to be taken after completion of ECON 1)
USP-025: Real Estate Principles and Analysis
*USP-050: Real Estate and Development Colloquium (2 units, only Pass/No Pass allowed in major; will not show on degree audit report but is required due to being a prereq for USP-185A)
MATH-010A: Calculus 1 OR MATH-020A: Calculus for Science and Engineering OR MGT-003: Quantitative Methods
ECON-001: Principles of Microeconomics
ECON-004/MGT-004: Financial Accounting (ECON-004/MGT-004 and MGT-005 may be replaced with MGT-045)
MGT-005: Managerial Accounting (ECON-004/MGT-004 and MGT-005 may be replaced with MGT-045)

Upper Division Requirements

12 Courses Required

seven (7) Foundation Courses
one (1) Technical Elective
two (2) Capstone Studio Sequence Courses
two (2) Upper Division Elective Courses

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses provide the conceptual tools for the major. Students are to complete the following seven (7) 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-005
USP-152A: (formerly USP-152) Real Estate Development Finance and Investment
- Prerequisite: USP-015 and USP-025
USP-153: Real Estate and Development Market Analysis
USP-171: Sustainable Development OR USP-170: Planning for Sustainable Communities OR USP-171GS: International Sustainable Development
MGT-172: Business Project Management

Technical Elective

Students are to choose one (1) course of:

USP-169: Introduction to Green Building
- Prerequisite: USP-124
USP-172: Graphics, Visual Communication, and Urban Information
USP-175: Site Analysis
- Prerequisite: USP-124
USP-177A: Urban Design Practicum
USP-183GS: International Urban Design Practicum (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
USP-191A: Intermediate Geographic Information Systems for Urban and Community Planning
- Prerequisite: USP-004

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-005, USP-015, USP-025, USP-050*, 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 two (2) 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: 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 (Summer Global Seminar offered every other year)
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-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.