Property economics is concerned with all aspects of property: investment, asset management, development, valuation and research, with a focus on finance and the commercial property market sector.
This course will prepare you for a career in commercial property investment and development – i.e. retail (shopping), office and industrial. You can go on to work in valuation surveying, real estate, property investment and management, auctioneering and estate agency in Ireland and abroad. It is also suitable if you're interested in property development, town planning and the general investment market.
The course seeks to progressively develop and integrate the various core and complementary disciplines required for the professional education of a property economist or property asset manager.
It particularly emphasises Property Valuations, which together with the other core modules of Economics, Planning and Investment Analysis, gives the course its orientation. For the Property Asset Management & Valuation option in final year, the emphasis is changed somewhat to concentrate on Property Asset Management, Housing Studies and Valuation.
Property valuation requires broad knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and an understanding of the economic, physical and legal framework. Thus, the course has a wide scope but is specific in that it seeks to apply knowledge to a particular sector of the economy.
In addition, having wider business management and financial analysis skills is increasingly important for property valuers and asset managers who wish to develop their careers in private practice, commercial organisations or the public service. This need is reflected in the curriculum content.
Study Abroad Opportunities
You can study abroad for a semester on Erasmus exchange in Hanze University in Grongingen, Netherlands, and also participate in the European Challenge Competition in Berlin. In addition, as part of the Integrated Project in third year, there is usually an international field trip.
The BSc (Hons) degree is accredited by the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland (SCSI) and the UK's Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This accreditation is recognised internationally and means that graduates can obtain employment throughout the world.