The University of Alabama’s real estate legacy dates back more than 80 years and is designed to provide students with a foundation in real estate fundamentals and decision making through the integration of diverse academic disciplines. We reached a new milestone in 2024, with over 900 students pursuing a Real Estate Minor, a 300% increase in the last five years. This incredible growth places the real estate program at the university among the largest in the nation. The program’s student enrollment reflects a diverse group of learners from almost every U.S. state. Graduate student’s interested in real estate can concentrate in the Real Estate focus area of study through either the MBA, STEM Path to the MBA, or MSF programs offered through the Manderson Graduate School of Business. The real estate track is a popular choice among graduate students and offers them an opportunity to earn equivalency educational credit towards the prestigious CCIM and MAI (Appraisal Institute) professional designations.
Real Estate Minor
Real Estate is a minor in the Culverhouse College of Business, offered through the Department of Economics, Finance, and Legal Studies, and is designed to provide students with a background in real estate fundamentals and decision making, the Real Estate Minor combines many academic disciplines, including finance, economics, sales, entrepreneurship, and law. The Real Estate Minor has seen incredible growth over the last few years and in the Spring Semester 2024 the RE Minor had close to 950 students with about 760 Business Students, 185 Non-Business Students, and 30 Online Students.
In addition, students have a unique opportunity to be eligible to take the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson License exam after completing two real estate courses. A Real Estate Minor qualifies graduates for the Institute of Real Estate Management’s Certified Property Manager (CPM) fast track program. Another benefit to students is the Alabama Center for Real Estate’s (ACRE) Collegiate Career Assistance Program (CCAP). Within the Culverhouse College of Business, CCAP provides student support and resources for professional development and real estate internship/employment opportunities.
Real Estate Major
The Bachelor of Science in Real Estate program is designed to help prepare students to move into post-graduation roles focused on real estate decision-making. This degree program is designed to allow students to move into multi-disciplinary entry-level roles, such as property and facility management, brokerage and leasing, appraisal and advisory, real estate finance and investments, corporate real estate advisory services, and development and project management. In doing so, the program will educate students to develop, purchase, sell, lease, appraise, and manage real estate. The real estate curriculum includes instruction in principles, finance, appraisal, law, management, construction, development, urban and land economics, and investment analysis. The major is intended to assist students interested in real estate careers. This major would reinforce the University’s commitment to real estate, and it would complement the existing in-person and online Real Estate Minors along with the opportunities offered by the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE). The current undergraduate program already integrates academic course offerings with dual professional credit towards the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson License, and the Institute of Real Estate Management’s CPM Designation. The major would complement these initiatives. This would likely result in UA having one the most comprehensive real estate programs in the nation.
Students with a Real Estate Major will have the option of selecting one of three distinct tracks:
Graduate Real Estate Tracks
Graduate student’s interested in real estate can concentrate in the Real Estate focus area of study through the MBA, STEM MBA, or MSF programs offered through the Manderson Graduate School of Business. The real estate track is a popular choice among graduate students and offers them an opportunity to earn equivalency educational credit towards the prestigious CCIM and MAI (Appraisal Institute) professional designations.
Scholarships are awarded annually:
For more information about scholarships, please contact Ms. Dixie Hamner at dghamner@ua.edu or Dr. Alan Tidwell at oatidwell@ua.edu.
The Alpha Sigma Gamma Society is sponsored by the American Real Estate Society. The American Real Estate Society (ARES) is an international organization composed of academics, professionals and institutions dedicated to the production and dissemination of knowledge related to real estate decision making and the functioning of real estate markets. The University of Alabama’s chapter was established in 2008. If you qualify and would like to join, please email Dr. Alan Tidwell at oatidwell@ua.edu.
We are an honors society at the University of Alabama that strives to promote professional excellence through communication between the academic and business communities, to assist students in the transition into real estate careers, and to develop future leaders in the real estate industry.
The goal of this organization is formal real estate career development. This includes providing on & off-campus industry engagement, exclusive student member resources, and opportunities for real estate students as they prepare for internships and jobs during their undergraduate and graduate Capstone academic experience. Events and programs within the Academy will include but are not limited to, guest speakers, skill building such as online financial modeling courses, national competitions, a mentorship program, and more. Membership is open to all juniors and seniors who are Real Estate minors and want to take the extra step to set themselves up for success by earning the Academy’s industry-recognized “Pathway Advantage” Certificate.
SREIF is a student-managed investment fund at UA that seeks to invest capital into real estate. Using both public and private investment strategies, SREIF prepares driven students interested in commercial real estate for a variety of career paths within the industry. Members are trained in the fundamentals of real estate investment and gain experience in analyzing both public REITs and private investment opportunities. In addition, SREIF members are provided with the invaluable experience of interacting with equity partners and getting exposure to the process behind live real estate deals.
CORE is an online credentialing program for underrepresented groups, preparing participants for jobs in the real estate industry under the tenets of awareness, readiness, and connection while also providing remote life and skill-based coaching.
Students of the Culverhouse Real Estate Program have a unique opportunity to be eligible to take the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson License exam after completing two real estate courses! Two real estate courses count for the required 60-hour pre-license course.
Students must take and earn a letter grade of C or better in Principles of Real Estate (FI 331 or FI 534) AND one of the following courses:
Students have only 6 months from the date of your last real estate course to take the state exam. If you let this time period lapse, you will have to retake a 60-hour pre-license course in order to sit for the Alabama real estate salesperson exam.
Other requirements for the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson exam include:
Our Real Estate Minor qualifies graduates for the Institute of Real Estate Management’s Certified Property Manager (CPM) fast track program.
IREM’s requirements state that students, “Have an undergraduate or graduate degree with a major, minor, or concentration in real estate or property management from a regionally accredited college or university. To be approved for this fast track you must (1) be a CPM® Candidate, and (2) submit an official transcript that lists your degree with a major, minor, or concentration in real estate or property management.”
Learn more about how to earn your CPM designation on IREM’s website.
The Collegiate Career Assistance Program (CCAP) is ACRE’s new platform for serving Alabama’s next generation of real estate talent and the firms that provide experience and employment opportunities while benefiting in the process. CCAP delivers many career-related opportunities for collegiate students interested in real estate from all across the State of Alabama. Students can actively engage in the real estate industry during their undergraduate years. Our goal is for the student to be able to confidently share upon graduation – “I am career ready!”
CCAP offers information on the types of careers within the real estate industry including necessary skillsets, personality traits, and the income potential typically associated with each career option. The process also includes learning about local markets of interest to the student and studying profiles of the nation’s top performers under 30 in their respective fields along with connecting with recent graduates who’ve earned that first career break and are willing to give back to those coming behind them.
Working by CCAP, students will become keenly aware of the career partners and resources available from real estate organizations representing virtually every discipline. They will learn to engage with the industry while in college by becoming a student member of one or more of these organizations that will literally open global networking and mentoring opportunities. Finally, the CCAP website provides both organic and convenient links to 3rd party career related placement sites.
To learn more about different career paths within the real estate community visit our Career Exploration page that explores multiple job types, organizations, and resources.
Students can upload a resume to our Student Profiles page to be considered for current and future job opportunities.
The Culverhouse Real Estate Program began with its first graduate in 1931. There are now over 1,700 graduates across the country who studied real estate at The University of Alabama!
UPDATE ALUMNI CONTACT INFORMATION
Culverhouse Real Estate students are looking for opportunities to learn. ACRE acts as a liaison between companies who are looking to hire fresh talent and UA Real Estate students.
To post an internship, part-time opportunity, or a full-time opportunity, please visit our Employment Opportunities page. As a service we will post job listings for companies, as requested. Each posting will be listed for three months, or until specifically requested to remove the listing. To list a job opportunity, companies are asked to complete the company submission form.
Summer Competitive Internships are regular summer internships that students can continuously view and work for throughout the school year. We ask only employers who offer summer internships continuously each year to submit their information on this page. Otherwise please submit your information on the Employment Opportunities page. As a service we will post summer competitive internship listings for companies, as requested. Each posting will be listed throughout the year or until specifically requested to remove the listing. To list a summer competitive internship opportunity, companies are asked to complete the summer competitive internship company submission form.
As with any new initiative we certainly anticipate a few near-term hiccups. We want to encourage you to contact us by phone or email with any questions, concerns, or even suggestions. Within a short period of time, we will publish a FAQ section that will benefit future users. Thank you for your support as we continue to advance relationships that positively impact Alabama’s real estate industry.
Grayson Glaze
CCAP Visionary
ACRE Executive Director
| First Name | Last Name | Title/Company | Sector |
| Garry | Adams | Founder & CEO | Retail |
| Knox | Auerbach | Truist | RE Investment Banking |
| Marvin | Banks | President of M Banks Realty Partners/Multifamily Chairman at SHR Residential/ Board member with Satori Collective and Nirvana Capital Group | |
| Kyle | Bishop | Marcus & Millichap/podcast | Retail |
| Beau | Fowler | Wedgewood Avenue | Private Equity |
| Grayson | Glaze | Executive Director ACRE | UA Member |
| Steve | Hewett | EVP & Chief Investment OfficerSanders Trust | Acquisition/Debt/Equity Financing Healthcare |
| Chad | Lavender | Vice Chairman, Health & Alternatives Assets | Healthcare |
| Gary | Kobus | Senior Managing Dirctor, Lincoln Property Company | Investment Management |
| Marshall | Loeb | President & Chief Executive Officer, EastGroup (REIT) | Industrial |
| Patrick | Marsh | Managing Director / Client Advisor Alex Brown | Investments |
| John | Mejia | Founder & CEO Providence Investments | Residential |
| Chris | Mitchell | Vice Chairman Board of Directors, Marshall & Stevens, Inc. | Valuation services related to corporate governance |
| Mike | Mouron | Chairman, Capstone Real Estate Investments, LLC | Student Housing |
| Alan | Tidwell | Associate Prof. of Finance/Chair of Real Estate UA | Faculty Advisor |
| Gardner | Lee | Principal/Co-Founder Growth Capital Partners | Adjunct Instructor |
