About the Graaskamp Center

The University of Wisconsin-Madison James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate has long been an important component of the Program in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Its predecessor was the Institute for Research in Land Economics, established by Richard T. Ely, one of the founding fathers of the discipline, in 1920.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate was established in 1971 to foster excellence in real estate education, research and outreach through community and professional partnerships. Historically, the Graaskamp Center's main goal has been to serve as a link between the Real Estate faculty and students, alumni, the real estate professional community, governmental agencies and the general public. This core mission continues but has expanded to include its newly expanded role of administering the MBA Program in Real Estate. We hope to instill our students with our core values and to create a valuable and life-long network for learning and professional growth.

The Graaskamp Center creates excellent networking opportunities for students, board members, alumni, faculty and professionals to meet and share their knowledge and expertise. Events include the Graaskamp Center’s Board of Trustees meetings, an Executive-in-Residence lecture series, the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association reunions and Real Estate Club events. We also provide advising and mentoring to help match students with appropriate career opportunities. Scholarships and fellowships are available to qualified students, along with occasional opportunities to work on consulting projects with faculty.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate is a clear embodiment of the Wisconsin Idea at work.

Components of the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate

• The Master of Business Administration Program in Real Estate (M.B.A.)

The MBA Program is administered through the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate.  It is a two year program that offers a multi-disciplinary approach to real estate.  About half the total coursework is in real estate and half in high-level business courses such as finance, accounting, management, strategy, and leadership. Required real estate courses include finance and investments, urban economics, and feasibility analysis; electives include advanced finance, real estate development, and international real estate. Students take capstone seminars in their second year that expose them to a wide range of high-level cases and concepts. The curriculum includes hands-on projects, and students are required to participate in at least one field trip abroad to learn about real estate in other countries and cultures. We believe that students not only must be rigorously trained in real estate fundamentals but also must acquire skills in critical thinking, leadership and entrepreneurial management.

• International Activities

A final component of the outreach program of the Graaskamp Center which provided enrichment to the curriculum is a series of international courses and field trips. Organized and directed by Rod Matthews and François Ortalo-Magné, these offerings provide opportunities to students, faculty, alumni, and the public at large to gain intensive exposure to foreign real estate markets and institutions. Lasting from several days to two weeks or more, they are typically offered in the winter and spring intersession periods. Recent visits have been made to Eastern and Western Europe, South America, Asia, the MIPIM Conference in Cannes, France, and Cambridge University in England.

• Board of Advisors

The Board of Advisors is a core support group for the Graaskamp Center. It advises the Graaskamp Center on its agenda, through representation on and involvement in the Research, Membership and Education Committees. Board advisors are drawn from among the senior leadership of the real estate industry both regionally and nationally. It is composed of representatives from the professional community, including the public, private, corporate and non-profit sectors. Representation on the Board is sought from the array of functional areas related to real estate and urban development such as brokerage, property management, consulting, development, appraisal, investment, asset management, law, mortgage banking, lending, corporate real estate, institutional investment, syndication, planning, regulation, and design.

Professional and Community Outreach

Community and professional outreach is central to the mission of the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate. Each year the Graaskamp Center co-sponsors an annual conference on critical topics in affordable housing with the Wisconsin Department of Commerce and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. The Graaskamp Center also hosts public lectures on real estate topics and a Distinguished Professional lecture series. The faculty often serve as guest lecturers for local and regional professional groups and as a resource for policymakers and industry professionals.

• Lifelong Learning through Executive Education

The Graaskamp Center continues to be at the forefront of cutting edge professional education. Our real estate executive education courses help professionals acquire knowledge useful to their careers, sharpen their professional skills, and stay competitive. The Real Estate Certificate Program gives professionals the opportunity to learn and review the fundamentals of real estate industry, along with the option to study advanced topics. Many of the courses are held at the Fluno Center in Madison.  It was designed exclusively for executive education and combines state-of-the-art technology with the ambiance of a comfortable, relaxed residential environment. The Graaskamp Center also offers customized on-site training programs for companies and non-profits.

• Research

The Graaskamp Center is committed to supporting and disseminating high quality research that addresses relevant and timely issues pertaining to today’s real estate issues. The real estate faculty at UW-Madison are some of the top academics in the country and their research interests vary from REITs to institutional investments, land use regulatory policy, mortgage pricing, urban economics, housing and beyond. Research activities of the Graaskamp Center are disseminated through a working paper series, which is available online. The faculty often serve as a resource to policy makers who seek expert advice on questions affecting urban land use and other real estate topics.