School of Architecture Classes

PLAN 5200:  The Real Estate Development Process I, Spring Semester, 3 credits

This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of the urban and suburban land development process. The course will begin with community case studies focused on subjective components of development such as design guidelines and qualities of livable places. Following this effort, students will be placed into teams and, using actual sites, will complete a comprehensive development feasibility report.

PLAN 5210:  The Real Estate Development Process II, Fall Semester, 3 credits

This course will begin where PLAN 5200 leaves off: a developer has been selected/completed an acquisition for a fully entitled project. A design team must be assembled, plans put in place, permits pulled, financing arranged and construction implemented, and a product brought to the market; where does one begin? The focus of the course will be on how development professionals drive value at each stage of the development process; in this way students will be exposed to all facets of the development project lifestyle but as a series of opportunities to enrich/improve a project rather than as a sequence of “steps.”

PLAN 5220:  Real Estate Finance Fundamentals, Spring Semester, 3 credits

Finance is a critical element in determining whether a real estate development project goes forward and whether the project actually looks and performs in accordance with the original design and social/economic objectives. In this course, students will learn the fundamental analyses of real estate finance and develop an understanding of the ways finance impacts upon project completion and architectural and community outcomes.

PLAN 5230:  Design Dimensions of Real Estate Practice (Real Estate + Design), Fall Semester, 3 credits

The course will assist students to critically evaluate/appreciate the role good design and planning plays in adding value to real estate. Using a comparative case approach, the course examines developer decision-making throughout the development process and the way that design interacted with financial constraints/market dynamics, public perceptions of the project, and the legal framework.

PLAC 5250 Applied Real Estate Practice Studio, Fall Semester, 4 credits

The course emulates the real estate development process in a specific geographic and socio-economic setting. In this studio, students will form small teams assigned to develop a project for a specific site. The students begin with site analysis, develop a proposed "product," conduct all the key financial analyses, and identify and develop the materials that would be necessary to move the project through public approval.