Students

Join our Club

The REA embodies the strength of CBS’s top-ranking reputation for its Real Estate MBA program and currently has 200+ student members. Its close ties to faculty and alumni of the business school and industry leaders complement the academic experience at Columbia.

To join:

  • Log on to CBS Groups

  • Under links, select "Student Club Sign-Up"

  • Check box next to "Real Estate Association", choose membership type and hit button to join

  • Enter your payment information

  • You will be emailed a confirmation of the clubs that you have just joined

Only members of the club have access to REA events and resources. You must be enrolled in the Business School to become part of the club. If you have any questions about the REA, please contact any Club Officer.

Prospective Students

We hope you enjoy exploring our site and learning about our club and the phenomenal real estate education, resources, and network available to Columbia Business School students. Read More >

The Paul Milstein Center

Visit the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate for more information about Columbia's top-ranking Real Estate Program.

Follow on Instagram @PaulMilsteinCenter

Educational Opportunities

A sampling of student-run educational events for the coming Academic Year:

  • Real Estate Supercharger Introductory Course

  • Excel Training

  • Argus Training

  • Career Guidance

  • Educational Panels

  • Real Estate Careers Workshops

  • REA Alumni Mentorship Program

Visit our Events page for more detail.

Recruiting

The Career Management Center at Columbia provides access to Career Coaches (alumni) and Career Fellows (second-year students) who offer in-depth advice about real estate recruiting.

Our club pairs second-year students with first-year students to learn more about the real estate program as well as the recruiting process. We also assemble a club resume book and distribute it to real estate companies.

The REA and the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate co-host an Annual Real Estate Career Forum during the spring semester.

Case Competitions

Real Estate Competitions are a practical complement to coursework at Columbia. CBS will participate in the following competitions this year:

  • Kellogg Real Estate Venture Competition

  • UNC-Hines Real Estate Development Challenge

  • MIT "The Case" Real Estate Competition

  • UT-Austin National Real Estate Challenge

2024-2025 Real Estate Courses & Instructors

The MBA Real Estate Program builds upon the strengths of Columbia Business School’s top-ranking MBA program, providing students an unparalleled opportunity to expand their entrepreneurial skills while specializing in real estate finance and investment management. As real estate is both a physical and a financial product, with transactions taking place in local space as well as global asset markets, the MBA Real Estate Program emphasizes an interdisciplinary blend of theory and practice, providing students with not only solid real estate fundamentals, but also critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and both written and oral communication skills.

Access the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate’s page for all real estate course descriptions.

Executives in Residence Program

As participants in the Executives in Residence Program at Columbia Business School, a number of senior executives from a wide range of industries augment the educational experience for students.

These leaders are recently retired or semiretired from one career and avidly pursue other activities and boards. Among other projects, the executives counsel students on their academic and career goals, lecture in class and advise clubs.

The program, established in 1977, is an extraordinary resource for students, faculty and staff and has contributed significantly over the years to the strategic development of the School.

Students who wish to make an appointment with one of the Executives in Residence may contact Allie Rogers at ar4442@columbia.edu.

M. Leanne Lachman

Leanne Lachman is President of Lachman Associates, an independent real estate consulting company. Previously, Ms. Lachman spent 13 years as a partner at Schroder Real Estate Associates, a boutique real estate manager that was acquired by Lend Lease, a global institutional investment manager, where she spent four years. Her early career was with Real Estate Research Corporation, where she served as chief executive officer. A highly sought after speaker and widely published author of books and articles on the real estate industry, Ms. Lachman is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and a governor of the Urban Land Foundation, a director of Lincoln National Corporation and a trustee of Liberty Property Trust. She received her BA from the University of Southern California and her MA from Claremont Graduate University. Areas of interest: real estate, global demographics, corporate governance and offshoring.