Module counts towards: (Distance Learning) MSc/PgCert/PgDip Real Estate Management (Distance Learning)

The UWE Bristol School of Architecture and Environment are pleased to offer a suite of additional postgraduate level modules in Real Estate Management as continuing professional development (CPD), accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.  

These modules offer practical application alongside theoretical underpinning to help develop and broaden your knowledge in the topic. 

The modules starting in October 2026 are: 

• Real Estate Economics and Valuations DL 
• Real Estate Law DL
• Strategic Estate Management DL

This suite also consists of modules that will start in January 2027 covering the following topics:  

• Real Estate Investment and Development DL
• Managerial Finance for the Built Environment DL
• Sustainability in the Built Environment DL
• Real Estate Finance and Investment

Modules are offered as on campus, or as distance learning. Please use the 'find a course' search and you will find distance learning options labelled as such next to the on-campus options. You will have access to your learning materials via our online learning platform. 

If you chose the distance learning mode, you will be able to progress through them in your own time, while live webinar sessions will provide an opportunity for you to discuss the materials in more depth.

As this module carries university accreditation, please note that when you complete your application, you will be required to provide the following information for the Programme Leader to review and formally accept your application as required by the university:

• Employment history
• A brief personal statement to support your application
• Details of you highest academic qualification
• A copy of photographic proof of ID (i.e. driver's licence/passport). For non-UK students, this must be a copy of your passport

For further information

Email: For specific questions in relation to the course, i.e. content, suitability, assessments, etc. please contact programme leader Ytzen van der Werf (ytzen.vanderwerf@uwe.ac.uk). For all queries regarding administration aspects of registration, i.e. dates, fees, etc. please contact us using the online enquiry form link or telephone number below.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81043 (option 1, then option 3)

Content

The first session will set the scene for the module (e.g. what we expect from students, our approach, academic integrity and assessment). The remainder of the session will examine the background and drivers for sustainable development. This will explore the development of the sustainability agenda, Corporate Social Responsibility, different conceptual models of sustainable development and the key trends in society that affect, and are affected by, the built environment.  

The second session will cover sustainable resource use. This will include the built environment as a system, climate change and energy, air quality, materials and waste, and water management. Each theme will include a summary of the key drivers and examples of how this is addressed in the built environment. 

The third session will examine sustainable urban neighbourhoods including urban form, transport, and social and green infrastructure. 

The fourth session will explore the delivery of sustainable development. This session will look at how sustainable built environments contribute to the local economy, valuation of sustainable developments, future infrastructure, meeting local need and the Global South.  

Finally, the fifth session will look at how we can assess sustainability. This session will focus on the role of the built environment in sustainable behaviours, performance issues with sustainable buildings in the commercial sector and accreditation methods focussing on BREAAM Communities. There will also be assessment tutorials. 

What will the course outcome be? 

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: 

• Demonstrate they understand the concepts of sustainable development and how these relate to the built environment;  
• Articulate the key drivers and trends affecting the built environment and how these relate to the concepts of sustainable development;  
• Demonstrate their understanding of the different measures or features in the built environment that contribute to their sustainability at different spatial scales including infrastructure, neighbourhoods and buildings and their limitations;  
• Critique the mechanisms through which sustainable built environments are delivered including legislation and targets, and accreditation schemes;  
• Critique the current practices of built environment professionals in terms of sustainable development;  
• Utilise different forms of evidence from research and practice in the development of ideas.  

Learning and Teaching

With an online course, you have the flexibility to fit your studies around personal and professional commitments, with access to our learning resources any time and from anywhere in the world. Studying while you work also provides valuable opportunities to apply what you have learned directly to your role. We use the latest online learning technology to make your distance learning experience as effective and rewarding as our traditionally taught courses.

You'll have access to recorded lectures from leading academics in the real estate management industry. Alongside these recorded lectures, you'll be able to attend five 1.5 hour live webinar workshops, every other week, via 'Blackboard Collaborate'. This comprehensive learning platform provides your entire course content, and puts you in contact with your tutor and fellow students.

Assessment

We assess your work through a variety of coursework assignments, including essays, reports, surveys and presentations. We also encourage you to do 'formative work' to prepare for assessment. This does not count towards final marks, but the feedback you receive helps improve your performance.

The assignment is based around one element: Report (maximum 3000 words, supplemented with a range of illustrative graphics, images, diagrams etc.) addressing guiding principles for the delivery of a sustainable brownfield development.