Business Law

Real Estate

The option in Real Estate covers both theoretical and practical aspects of real estate and provides an academic foundation for careers in real estate. We offer a major and minor in Real Estate. Real Estate majors may sit for the California Broker License Exam upon completion of the B.S.B.A. degree with an option in Real Estate, with their real estate and other business courses considered to be equivalent to two years of experience as a licensed salesperson.

Option in Real Estate - Catalog Year 2024

Minor in Real Estate

Planning your schedule

Please note that several courses have been renumbered as of Fall 2019. FIN 338 Real Estate Principles is now RE 414. FIN 439 Valuation is now RE 416 Real Estate Appraisal. The table below shows the equivalency of courses depending on which catalog year you entered. If you're under an old catalog, just submit course substitution requests, which you'll find here: http://www.csun.edu/cobaessc/subwaiver 

Course Equivalency

FIN

BLAW

RE

RE Practice

-

412

412

RE Principles

338

414

414

RE Finance

433

-

420

RE Appraisal

439

416

416

RE Market and development Analysis

-

418

418

You'll find prerequisite and other information in the catalog, here: http://catalog.csun.edu/academics/blaw/courses/ 

For planning purposes, note that we offer every required course every semester, subject to enrollments and budget restrictions: BLAW 280, 308, 368, 453, and 481; RE 412, 414, 416, 418, and 420.

Course Sequence for BSBA Real Estate (.pdf) 

California Course Requirements for eligibility to sit for Real Estate Broker's and Agent's exams

BrokerCSUN Equivalent
1. Real Estate Practice; andRE 412
2. Legal Aspects of Real Estate; andBLAW 481
3. Real Estate Finance; andRE 420
4. Real Estate Appraisal; andRE 416
5. Real Estate Economics or Accounting; andRE 418,  ECON 310 or ACCT 220
  
6. Three courses from the following list: 
Real Estate PrinciplesRE 414
Business LawBLAW 308 or BLAW 280
Property Management 
Escrow 
Real Estate Office Administration 
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending 
Advanced Legal Aspects of Real Estate 
Advanced Real Estate Finance 
Advanced Real Estate Appraisal 
Computer Applications in Real EstateIS 312
Common Interest Developments 
Note: If both Real Estate Economics and Accounting are taken,          only two courses from section 6 are required. 
Agent/SalespersonCSUN Equivalent
1. Real Estate Principles, andRE 414
2. Real Estate Practice, andRE 412
  
3. One course from the following list: 
Real Estate AppraisalRE 416
Property Management 
Real Estate FinanceRE 420
Real Estate EconomicsRE 418 or ECON 310
Legal Aspects of Real EstateBLAW 481
Real Estate Office Administration 
General AccountingACCT 220
Business LawBLAW 308 or BLAW 280
Escrows 
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending 
Computer Applications in Real EstateIS 312
Common Interest Developments 

Note: This information is intended to aid students in preparing for licensure but we are not authorized to make representations on behalf of the California Department of Real Estate. For more information, contact the Department of Real Estate: https://www.dre.ca.gov/

Real Estate Useful Links

Real Estate and Land Use Institute (RELUI)

Real Estate major and minors FAQs

David Nazarian College of Business & Economics
Real Estate major and minors FAQs

Have real estate course prefixes changed from earlier CSUN catalogs?

Courses for the Real Estate major now have the prefix “RE”. This should help avoid confusion with BLAW courses. Below is a table showing the equivalency of the courses.

Course Equivalency

FIN

BLAW

RE

RE Practice

-

412

412

RE Principles

338

414

414

RE Finance

433

-

420

RE Appraisal

439

416

416

RE Market and Development Analysis

-

418

418

I already have an agent's or broker's license.  Is it possible to waive RE 412 or 414 based on this?

No.  In order to ensure that students are adequately prepared for the required courses in the real estate program, they must take all of the courses.  This ensures that students receive the necessary preparatory education and can be successful in the higher level courses.  As a recipient of the major or minor in real estate, you will represent that you have taken a series of courses that will help you be successful in the real estate field. Note that all real estate courses are offered each semester.

I already have a bachelor’s degree. Can I get a minor in Real Estate?

No. You can’t earn a minor unless you’re a matriculated student in a degree program.  However, you should consider our Real Estate Certificate program for professionals who already have a bachelor's degree.  You can find out more here: https://www.csun.edu/blaw/certificate-real-estate

Are all of the required classes offered every semester?

Yes.  All RE courses are offered each semester, along with BLAW 280, 308, 368, 453, and 481.

I’m a Real Estate major or minor from a previous catalog year and I still need to take FIN 338 (Real Estate Principles) or FIN 439 (Real Estate Valuation). Will they continue to be offered?

No.  Instead, you’ll need to petition to substitute RE 414 in place of FIN 338 and RE 416 in place of FIN 439.  Please review the table above for all equivalencies. Both RE 412 and RE 414 are offered every semester. You’ll find a request for substitution/waiver form here

Can I transfer real estate classes from a junior college or a real estate course from a non-university provider to substitute for real estate courses at CSUN?

No.  All of the required courses in the Real Estate major, minor, and certificate program are upper division 400-level or 300-level courses, while courses at junior colleges are lower division 100- or 200-level courses.  Therefore, they are not equivalent as to content and level of difficulty.  Courses from private, non-university providers, even if they are approved by the California Department of Real Estate, are not academically accredited and therefore cannot be substituted.

I’m a Real Estate major from a pre-2015 catalog year. Can I substitute BLAW 368 (Law, Business & Ethics) in place of the upper division communication course requirement?

 Yes, just submit the course substitution/waiver form referenced above.

I’m a Real Estate major from a pre-2015 catalog year. Can I substitute RE 412 (Real Estate Practice) in place of the Real Estate Elective Breadth and Perspective course requirement?

Yes, just submit the course substitution/waiver form referenced above.

How can I find out the most recent information about the programs?

“Like” and “Follow” CSU Northridge Department of Business Law on all of our social media platforms provided on the homepage. Don't forget to check your email regularly as well.

If I major in Real Estate and graduate with a B.S.B.A. degree, am I eligible to sit for the California Broker License exam?

Yes.  Based on an articulation from the California Department of Real Estate (DRE), students may sit for the Broker License Exam upon completion of the B.S.B.A. degree with an option in Real Estate.  The courses in Real Estate Law, Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Market Analysis, and Real Estate Appraisal, and other business courses will be equivalent to two years of experience as a licensed salesperson. 

The DRE articulation letter about our program is available HERE.  Please refer to the FAQ below for the California course requirements for eligibility to sit for the exam and CSUN course equivalents.  Additional information about the requirements for the exam is available on the DRE website.

Does the Minor in Real Estate allow me to sit for the California Salesperson License exam?

Yes.  The minor meets the requirements to sit for the California Real Estate Salesperson Exam.  However, the minor alone does not meet the course requirements to sit for the Broker License Exam.  You would need to gain two years of experience as a licensed salesperson and complete the remaining required courses before being eligible to sit for the Broker License Exam. 

Please refer to the FAQ below for the California course requirements for eligibility to sit for the exam and CSUN course equivalents.  Additional information about the requirements for the exam is available on the DRE website.

I’m interested in getting a real estate degree.  How strong is CSUN’s program?

Frankly, we’re great.  Our business programs are accredited by AACSB (an achievement obtained by only 5% of the world’s business schools).  Our real estate classes are staffed by professors who have excellent academic credentials combined with real world experience.  We have a vigorous speakers’ series and opportunities for internships.  CSUN has one of the largest real estate program of the 23 CSU campuses and is represented on California’s Real Estate and Land Use Institute.