CEPT University Introduces Interdisciplinary MBA in Real Estate for 2026; Focus on Design & Finance

Speaking to Shiksha.com, Prof Barjor Mehta, President, CEPT University, said the programme responds to India’s rapidly formalising real estate sector and brings together urban planning, design, sustainability, finance and management within a single academic framework.

CEPT University has announced the launch of a new MBA in Real Estate, to be offered from the 2026 academic session, aimed at creating industry-ready professionals who understand real estate beyond conventional silos. Speaking to Shiksha.com, Prof Barjor Mehta, President, CEPT University, said the programme responds to India’s rapidly formalising real estate sector and brings together urban planning, design, sustainability, finance and management within a single academic framework. The full-time programme will follow CEPT’s studio-based, experiential learning model and include strong industry and international engagement.

Q: What was the thinking behind launching an MBA in Real Estate at this point?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: What has happened in the Indian context is that real estate development has moved very rapidly, from being largely informal, to semi-formal and now towards a much more formalised sector. Today, a large part of real estate development in Indian cities is being driven by the formal sector.

Earlier, the ecosystem consisted of architects, engineers and planners, and management programmes were largely focused on firm-level management. But through extensive consultations and surveys across different segments of the real estate community, we realised that a strong real estate professional today needs much more than just firm management skills.

They need to understand what constitutes good design, sound urban planning, sustainable development, finance, and emerging real estate instruments. At CEPT, we realised that all these disciplines already exist on our campus. We also have a management programme. Bringing all of this together into one integrated programme made complete sense.

This programme is therefore open not just to architects or engineers, but also to graduates from business administration and other backgrounds. Essentially, we are creating a new kind of professional the real estate professional.

Q: How does this programme build on CEPT’s legacy and industry connect?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: CEPT has over 64 years of experience in urban education. Many of our alumni from urban planning, housing and urban management programmes are today working with large corporate real estate developers and international service providers such as Cushman & Wakefield and JLL.

They came back to us with very clear feedback, that this is the need of the hour. Based on this, it took us over six months to conceptualise the programme in detail. This programme will be offered from the next academic session, starting 2026.

Importantly, this will be CEPT’s first Master’s programme in Business, specifically in Real Estate. Even our Urban Management programme will now also offer a Master’s in Business, marking a significant academic shift.

Q: Is the programme being launched from the 2026 academic session?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: Yes, that’s correct.

Q: Given how specialised the programme is, have you partnered with industry?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: Yes. We have created an industry advisory group. This includes leading real estate developers, international real estate service providers, and academic institutions abroad with long-standing experience in real estate education.

As India’s real estate sector becomes more formalised, we must learn from markets where this transition happened earlier, such as the UK, Australia and the US. We have had extensive consultations with institutions and experts from these regions.

We will begin with around 40 seats. Initially, the intake will be limited so that we can closely monitor quality, demand and feedback, and then scale appropriately in the coming years.

Q: Will admissions be based on CAT scores?

Chirayu Bhatt: We are looking at multiple entrance exam options. While CAT is one of the most well-known exams, many students also appear for other tests. We are in the process of finalising the admission criteria, which will be published along with the programme announcement.

Q: Are there any international academic collaborations planned?

Chirayu Bhatt: We are in advanced discussions with Henley Business School at the University of Reading, the University of Denver, and have also had conversations with NYU. These are not joint degree programmes, but collaborations that would allow student exchanges, semester-long engagements or modular learning opportunities.

CEPT has a long tradition of enabling students to engage with international universities, and we believe this format brings the most value to students.

Q: Will CEPT undergraduate students get any preference in admissions?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: No, there is no such preference. Admissions will be based on the published criteria.

Q: Is it a full-time, residential programme?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: Yes, it is a full-time programme.

Q: What are the key USPs students should look at while considering this MBA?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: This is one of the first programmes in India, as far as we know, that brings together all disciplines related to real estate, not just firm management. Graduates will understand design, planning, land formalisation, advanced finance, and emerging instruments such as REITs.

Earlier, real estate finance in India was largely informal. Today, developers are accessing formal financial markets. To do that, professionals need the vocabulary, analytical ability and negotiation skills to operate in formal systems. This programme is designed to build exactly that capability.

We also have over 40 international exchange arrangements. Over time, we will develop programme-specific opportunities so students can gain global exposure and become truly global professionals.

Q: Will the programme follow CEPT’s experiential learning model?

Prof. Barjor Mehta: Absolutely. Studio-based learning is our bedrock. While traditional Master’s programmes often have one long studio project, for this programme we may break it into multiple modules and projects across the semester. Experiential, studio-based learning allows for creative thinking and strong cross-disciplinary engagement.

Q: What about the fee structure?

Chirayu Bhatt: CEPT follows a uniform fee structure across postgraduate programmes. This MBA will be priced at a similar level as our other postgraduate courses. Compared to leading MBA programmes in the country, it will likely be at a slightly discounted rate.