RICS Accredited Degrees

The MA in Commercial Property and the MA in Planning and Development, offered by the University of Sheffield, draw on our standing as an international centre of research and teaching excellence. The programmes offer students from a wide range of backgrounds the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge relevant to a career in surveying. The programmes are designed to develop knowledge of, and expertise in, key areas across a range of diverse and relevant topics. Emphasis is placed upon the development of skills in synthesising knowledge to understand how property markets work. Our teaching is research-led, to equip students with the latest cutting-edge thinking and to develop their own skills in seeking to understand and progress industry thinking. We place an important focus on enabling students to understand interactions between theory and practice to best provide for informed solutions and decisions.

We place a premium on the development of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and independent judgement. We emphasise theoretical and analytical rigour. This makes our courses distinctive. Graduates have highly developed analytical and research skills that can be applied to commercial property and to planning and development problems. Such graduates are in great demand from national and international firms.

The Department and the University

The results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) recognise us as the top planning school in the UK and rank us higher than all our competitor universities providing RICS accredited courses. According to the independent assessment, our department has the highest proportion of world-class research activity in the country. Further, the Department was awarded 23 out of 24 in the latest Teaching Quality Assessment. This means that students are taught by academics at the forefront of research in their field, who place equal pride in the delivery of programmes to develop high calibre graduates. In 2008, one of our undergraduates won the National Women in Property Student Award and, in 2009, the Regional Women in Property Student Award. The University of Sheffield's history stretches back to 1828 and it currently has nearly 24,000 students from 124 countries, and almost 6000 staff. The Students’ Union has received a host of awards, most recently being voted as the HE Students' Union of the Year 2008 (NUS Awards). Sheffield is the greenest city in England, with 150 woodlands and 50 public parks. Its night life is legendary, with a wealth of clubs and live music venues. Crime statistics show it is also one of the UK's safest cities.

IPFET Sponsored Field trip

Each year we run a field trip to London that is sponsored by the Investment Property Forum Educational Trust (IPFET). The IPFET seeks to advance education in the area of property investment. It also supports and promotes research into the operation of the property investment market and regularly funds leading research projects in this area. The field trip provides students with:

• Access to senior figures able to help with the preparation of assignments and dissertations;
• Exposure to industry practices and working environments;
• Up-to-date information and the latest thinking by industry leaders; and
• First hand experience of the industry, vital in gaining competitive advantage in securing employment.
  
  

The visit takes place in November, just before the deadlines for job applications to the major employers. We also meet Graduate Recruitment and HR representatives, to find out more about what it is like to work for them and to ask questions about the application process.

Feedback from students on the trip includes:

“I thought that the trip was really successful and very helpful.”

“Can I please express my gratitude for the hard work and effort put into the organisation of our fieldtrip. Fellow students have found the experience both worthwhile and enjoyable. As a student the commercial world seems quite daunting and the process of job application can be quite arduous. However, listening to professionals and visiting their working environment brings the whole process to life, provides us with some valuable knowledge and gives us an idea of the avenues our careers could possibly begin to follow next September.”

“Fieldtrip was fantastic. Really informative.”

IPFET Prize for the best dissertation

The IPFET Dissertation Prize is awarded each year, by the Investment Property Forum Educational Trust, a charity established by professional practice, which seeks to advance education in the area of property investment. The prize is awarded annually and is to the value of £500, for the best dissertation on property investment. The IPFET also supports and promotes research into the operation of the property investment market and regularly funds leading research projects in this area.
 

National and Local Networks

In addition to the national and international perspective gained from becoming a student member of the RICS, our students have a strong community within the Department. They have opportunities to become involved with the local Yorkshire and Humber Matrics network of surveyors and attended the South Yorkshire Property Dinner.

Students enjoying the hospitality at the South Yorkshire Property Dinner.

Other Postgraduate Courses

• MA Town and Regional Planning (RTPI accredited)
• MA International Development and Planning (RTPI accredited)
• MA European Development and Planning (pending RTPI accreditation)
• PhD
• MPhil
  
  Application details
  
  The courses are designed for students with a good first degree. We welcome applications from those who have studied cognate subjects such as geography, urban studies, planning or economics and, equally, other non-cognate subject areas.