Those looking to buy or sell real estate — commercial or residential — depend on property managers, real estate agents and real estate managers to have a very solid understanding of property investments, the stock market; the culture of buying and selling in America; current, past and future real estate trends, and real estate law. A graduate education is becoming almost necessary for real estate agents to keep up with this demand. An MBA in Real Estate will teach professionals how to evaluate the system by considering many different factors, including Wall Street, government programs, neighborhood values, and more. Students will also get a better working knowledge of real estate law, contracts and business ethics. Online programs help real estate agents and other business professionals prepare for a promotion or career switch without having to take time off from work or negotiate after-hours commutes between work, school and home.

Once you have proved that you have a bachelor’s degree in business, real estate or a related field, you may have to submit proof of work experience. Some schools, especially those that offer accelerated MBA programs, may require you to have a certain amount of years working in the real estate field so that they don’t have to spend time teaching you the basics. MBA programs focusing on real estate will combine core courses to reinforce business principles and practices like management, business law for managers, e-business, global management, finance and organizational behavior. Real estate focus classes will cover topics in real estate law, investment analysis, appraisal and real estate finance. This kind of curriculum prepares real estate professionals to become real estate managers and executives.

Real estate agents and managers need to have a license from the federal government, professional organization or state to practice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for real estate managers is very good: jobs are opening at a rate that is faster than the national average. In May of 2006, land subdivision managers earned the highest salary, at around $78,000.