Guide to studying Land & Property Management

CONTENTS

1. What's Land & Property Management?

2. Why study Land & Property Management?

3. What jobs can you get as a Land & Property Management graduate?

4. What do graduates do and earn?

5. What qualifications do you need?

6. What degrees can you study?

7. How will you be assessed?

8. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

What's Land & Property Management?

At its broadest level, Land & Property Management is about the built environment; offices, shops, industrial buildings, houses and the surrounding countryside all have an impact on the quality of our lives.

This subject explores the issues around the creation, management and enhancement of the world’s physical assets – everything from forests and country estates to city office blocks and major regeneration projects.

Example areas of study

• Law
• Economics
• Management
• Planning
• Construction
• Property Valuation

Similar courses include: 

• Landscape & Garden Design
• Management Studies
• Planning (Urban, Rural & Regional)

Why study Land & Property Management?

Studying this subject enables you to understand issues such as how and why properties are developed, who is responsible for managing them, and how much they are worth.

Most Land & Property Management courses include work placements as either an optional or mandatory module, meaning you'll enter working life with experience as well as a degree. Many work placements are based abroad, giving you the chance to experience how the industry operates overseas.

Land & Property Management degrees offer you an opportunity to shape the world, ensuring that the constant development and redevelopment of land does as little as possible to detract from the natural beauty of mother Earth.

As with any academic degree, you'll develop skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. Alongside these you'll also develop transferable skills such as report writing, teamwork and presentation; all very important for the property profession. You'll also gain specialised technical skills relevant to industry such as property valuation and appraisal.

Based on the title of the course, many potential students may assume only certain things are taught. However, the course allows you to access the world of Real Estate from so many aspects, and I have been able to understand how property is fundamental in many professions.
Joelle, University of Reading

What jobs can you get as a Land & Property Management graduate?

Many graduates go on to work for property consultancies or surveying firms; these may be major international companies such as CBRE and DTZ, or local firms.

Other opportunities may be within property companies such as British Land and Segro, or with owners of major country estates such as the National Trust. The occupiers of property, such as Marks & Spencer and Tesco, also recruit graduates with this degree to manage their property portfolios.

If you choose to specialise in real estate finance you could work for a bank or pension fund.
Because you develop skills relevant to a wider business context, you're well placed to enter a wide variety of business and management careers.

What do graduates do and earn?

In the infographic below, the first table shows what graduates of Land & Property Management have gone on to do in the months after their graduation.

The second table shows the average salaries of undergraduate Land & Property Management students entering employment. The three skill levels – high, medium and low – reflect the UK's Standard Occupational Classification's major groups 1–3, 4–6 and 7–9 respectively.

Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18

What qualifications do you need? 

Most courses don't have specific subject requirements, although a good level of English and Maths at GCSE is usually specified.

Grades and other entry requirements vary widely between institutions. So, make sure to check for the university and course you're interested in.

As this is a subject you're unlikely to have studied at school, it's important your UCAS personal statement demonstrates an interest in this area. Relevant work experience is always useful, but not essential – your passion for the subject is the most important thing.

What degrees can you study?

Most property-related courses will be BSc Hons degrees. If you're interested in becoming a chartered surveyor, make sure the course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

How will you be assessed?

In most courses you'll sit traditional exams. The subject area also lends itself very well to project work, presentations and report writing so you can expect to find a mixture of assessment methods throughout your course.

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

After completing your undergraduate degree, you could go on to take a master's course in a related area such as Real Estate Finance, or study for a general Business or Management qualification.