The real estate industry asked, and the Alberta School of Business delivered. After years of development, with input from industry and city-building partners, Canada’s first fully online, part-time graduate program in real estate development is now accepting applications.
The Master of Real Estate Development+ (MRED+) program at the University of Alberta welcomes its first cohort of students in September.
The + in the name reflects the multidisciplinary nature and broad vision of city building, connecting real estate to the social, economic, and environmental forces shaping our communities. A cross-section of disciplines, including economics, finance, urban and transportation planning, retailing and supply chain, civil engineering, architecture, health care, AI, indigenous studies, law, and others, play significant roles in real estate development. For each player, the process of ‘city and community building’ may mean something different, but for most, the vision is the same—to create more vibrant, healthy, sustainable, livable, inclusive cities and communities, each with a strong economic base.
Offered through the Alberta School of Business and the Cities Institute, the MRED+ equips you with the skills, insight, and connections to drive impact in real estate development, finance, urban policy, and sustainability—helping to shape the future of our cities. The MRED+ is more focused on the real estate industry than the MBA program and gives graduates a competitive edge as they advance their careers in the industry.
“MRED+ is a tremendous achievement and a transformative step forward for real estate education in Alberta and across Canada. Development is inherently interdisciplinary, yet many professionals enter the industry from a single discipline—for example, planning, engineering, marketing, or finance—without a full understanding of how the pieces fit together. This often leads to gaps in perspective on how development projects are conceived, structured, and executed. MRED+ will elevate development education to the highest national and international standards. By doing so, MRED+ will strengthen careers, the quality of projects, and the communities delivered.” – Thomas Burr, Senior Vice President, Averton
Why Choose the MRED+
- Flexible and accessible: Primarily online, part-time format designed for working professionals.
- Rigorous and relevant: Curriculum that blends theory with practice, culminating in a real-world capstone project.
- Industry integrated: Learn directly from leaders through guest speakers, exclusive conferences and strong ties with NAIOP, BILD, BOMA Edmonton, ULI, ICSC and more.
- Distinguished faculty: Courses taught by academics and seasoned industry professionals.
- Professional network: Build meaningful connections with peers and leading organizations across the real estate ecosystem through scheduled in-person events hosted by Cities Institute.
Who Should Apply?
The MRED+ is ideal for early- and mid-career professionals in development, planning, finance, government, construction and consulting, as well as those looking to pivot into real estate development. The MRED+ is fully online and designed for flexibility, making it accessible to professionals from all backgrounds who want to advance their careers without pausing their lives.
“At the Cities Institute, we believe the future of real estate development lies at the intersection of expertise and innovation. The Institute will support the MRED+ program with industry-grade data, leading software and computing resources, and mentorship from scholars and professionals. I warmly invite you to join us in this exciting endeavour. The MRED program is more than a degree; it is a pathway to becoming a leader in shaping the cities and communities of tomorrow.” -Murtaza Haider, Professor and Radhe Krishna Gupta Executive Chair in Cities and Communities, Alberta School of Business, as well as the Executive Director of the Cities Institute at the University of Alberta.
More Information
To learn more about the MRED+ program and to begin your application, please visit the Alberta School of Business website.