Students who are accepted into the Certificate program and complete the required courses will receive a Certificate in Real Estate Design & Development in addition to their degree. The program includes courses in the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design and in the Wharton School.
Only Weitzman students may pursue the Real Estate Design and Development Certificate. Applications are available through Weitzman's online admissions portal and must be submitted by the stated deadlines. There are a limited number of places and students are admitted on the basis of educational accomplishments and relevant work experience. Ten students are accepted each year and are guaranteed places in most classes.
Note: this certificate does not permit course substitutions. Scheduling and course sequencing can be difficult and, in some cases, may result in an inability to complete the certificate. Degree program courses take precedence over certificate courses. Students may only earn the certificate if it is completed by the time they earn their degree, but students may request permission to take an overload (more than 5 CUs) in a term or terms in order to accommodate courses for the certificate, above and beyond the courses they need to earn their degree. Overload courses incur additional tuition costs at the per-CU tuition rate, are not eligible for federal loans, and do not yield additional Weitzman scholarship.
Director: Vincent Reina (vreina@design.upenn.edu)
Requirements and Courses
Students take 5 courses from the following list; at least one course must be in the Wharton School.
*Prerequisites
CPLN Students in the PPD Concentration
Students in the Master of City Planning program with a PPD concentration, earn the REDD certificate by taking three courses from the above pre-approved course list in addition to the four courses needed for the PPD concentration requirements. Courses may not double-count for the PPD concentration and REDD Certificate.
Substitutions and Waivers
No substitutions are permitted for courses required for the certificate. If students do not take 5 courses from the pre-approved course list, they will not earn the certificate. There are no exceptions.
1. Why do I have to apply to the REDD program?
There are a limited number of slots in the program (currently 10), in order to ensure that courses will not be oversubscribed. Applicants are judged on a personal statement, previous work experience, and previous courses taken.
2. If I am accepted into one of the post-professional MSD programs, can I apply to the REDD?
Students in the MSD-AAD, MSD-RAS, and MEBD programs do not have space in their schedules to take the number of courses required for the REDD certificate.
3. If I have an open elective, can I take a course before I am accepted into the REDD program?
Yes. Any courses that are approved for the certificate and are taken successfully will be retroactively counted towards the certificate requirements if/when the student is accepted to the certificate.
4. As a REDD student, do I have any priority in registering?
Yes. There are 5 reserved places each semester for REDD students in REAL 7210 and REAL 8040, and 10 places in ARCH 7680. You must submit a permit request for those courses in Path@Penn during the advance registration period to be considered for priority seating.
5. How do I register in a Wharton course?
Students in the REDD certificate who would like to take one of the pre-approved Wharton courses must submit a permit request in Path@Penn during the advance registration. The permit request must specify that you have already been accepted to the REDD certificate. Note: planning to apply, or having a pending application, to the REDD certificate does not grant priority preference for reserved seats.
6. Is it possible to complete the REDD at the same time as my degree?
Completing the REDD certificate at the same time as your degree is a requirement for earning the certificate. However, in order to do this successfully, students will have to plan their course of study carefully, and even then, it is not guaranteed that completing the certificate will be possible. Not all courses are offered in all semesters, and there are also prerequisites to consider. There may be scheduling conflicts (especially with design studios). Take note of possible substitute courses.
7. Is there any particular order in which I should take the REDD courses?
Below are sample schedules for:
2-year programs (City Planning or Historic Preservation)
Yr 1 Fall: CPLN 5400
Yr 1 Spring: CPLN 6410 or CPLN 6430/ ARCH 7620 or ARCH 7650 or REAL 7210*
Yr 2 Fall: REAL 8040
Yr 2 Spring: REAL 8210* or REAL 8210* or ARCH 7620
3-year program (Architecture)
Yr 2 Spring: ARCH 7620/CPLN 6340
Yr 3 Fall: choose 2: ARCH 7650, ARCH 7610, CPLN 5400
Yr 3 Spring: CPLN 6410, REAL 8040
*REAL 8210 is cross-listed as ARCH 7680
8. What's the best way to benefit from real estate activities at Penn?
Join the School of Design Real Estate Club.
