University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

CNN Money.com has named property management as one of the top jobs in America. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has forecasted a need for 50,000 additional property managers over the next ten years. Opportunity is waiting for you at UW-Stout, one of only a handful of universities in the country offering this unique degree program.

Careers in Property Management

Real estate management is the administration, operation, marketing and maintenance of real property in order to achieve the objectives of the property's owner. As a real estate manager, you'll work closely with both the owners of the properties and the tenants/residents who work or live in the properties. Types of property can range from public housing, apartments, condominiums, community associations, and vacation properties to offices, industrial parks and shopping centers. A successful professional property manager must have a diverse skill set including a solid knowledge of:

• Finance
• Accounting
• Tenant and employee relations
• Laws affecting these properties

Starting Out

During your first few semesters, you'll enroll in a combination of general education courses and major foundation courses. General education includes English composition, speech and a variety of self-selected courses in humanities and the arts. Economics, psychology and geography - including graphic information systems - will make up the social and behavioral science selections.

A natural science course covering the environment is also required. In addition to an introduction to the property management field, other foundation courses include marketing, business writing and human resource management.

As You Progress

The property management program teaches you all the critical facets of the profession including building maintenance, accounting, marketing, leasing, market and investment analysis and real estate law. You'll also take courses in leadership, strategy and security, and risk management.

In the capstone course, you'll develop a property management plan, a critical document analyzing the highest and best uses of a particular property. Our course offerings help you achieve industry certification at a faster rate than most people entering the industry for the first time.

The curriculum draws widely from existing courses in business, management, construction, service management, retail and hospitality. It is anticipated that, as the program develops, elective concentrations will be developed. Future concentrations may include residential property, commercial property and hospitality property management.

Internships

A variety of internship positions in both residential and commercial property are available for you. It is an excellent way for both you and employers to learn about each other and assess the prospect for future career opportunities.

Student Organizations

Students in the Resort/Property Managers' Association have similar career interests in managing various types of property. This student-run professional organization plans numerous field trips throughout the school year to get you a behind-the-scenes look at how various types of property are managed by professionals in the industry.