PhD in Real Estate
Program Overview
The PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in Real Estate prepares students for academic careers in teaching and research, as well as leadership roles in government and industry. The program offers rigorous training in real estate, economics, finance, and quantitative methods, fostering strong research capabilities and comprehensive teaching experience. Students are encouraged to tailor their coursework by integrating classes from other business disciplines.
Terry College provides a dynamic and supportive environment for doctoral students in Real Estate. Faculty actively engage in student development through specialized seminars and mentorship, promoting academic and professional success. Key advantages of the program include:
- The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, a leading academic journal in the field, has been housed at Terry since its inception.
- Faculty members serve as editors and board members of top-tier journals and professional associations, including the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
- Terry faculty consistently rank among the most published and cited researchers in premier real estate journals. One professor was recently recognized as the sixth most cited real estate scholar in the U.S.
Preferred deadline: January 4
Applications after January 4 will also be considered until spots are filled.
- ARK Professor and Associate Professor, Real Estate Program
- Director of Graduate Studies, PhD Program
Prerequisites
Ideally students should complete these courses prior to entering the program:
Typical Course Sequence
Year 1
Year 2
Years 3 and 4
Faculty Research Interests
Areas of research interests are an important consideration for selecting a program that fits your academic needs. We have faculty experts in areas of economics, finance and investments, as well as geo-spatial analysis.
Research areas include, but are not limited to:
- James N. Conklin: Real Estate Economics & Finance, Mortgages, Financial Intermediation
- Darren K. Hayunga: Asset Pricing, Housing Economics, Geo-Spatial Economics
- Richard W. Martin: Gentrification, Spatial Mismatch, Suburbanization and Sprawl, Housing Affordability
- Henry J. Munneke: Price Indices, Land Use Controls, and Land Economics
- James B. Kau: Real Estate Finance and Investment, Urban Economics, Housing Economics, Real Estate Economics, Regional Science
Placements
The specialized curriculum, involvement in research, and opportunities for gaining quality teaching experience while at the University of Georgia, lead to excellent employment possibilities. Our doctoral program has a strong record of placing professors and chairholders at a number of universities, including Florida State University, Pennsylvania State University, Auburn University, Louisiana State University, Brigham Young University, University of Denver, and Arizona State University.
Recent graduates of the Real Estate Program serve on the faculty of leading universities in the U.S. and around the world as well as in leadership positions at major private-sector and government organizations:
- William Swymer (2025), Instructor of Real Estate, University of Alabama
- Nicholas Smith (2022), Financial Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Jim Stevens (2020), Assistant Professor, Wofford College
- Anurag Mehrotra (2019), Assistant Professor, San Diego State University
- Stephen Buschbom (2017), Assistant Professor, Texas Tech
- Lu Fang (2016), Assistant Professor, Florida International University
- Joseph R. Nicholson (2012), Assistant Professor, Montclair State University
- Kiplan Womack (2012), Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina Charlotte
- Shannon Clark (2010), Principal Research Statistician & Developer, SAS
- Constantine Lyubimov (2010), Researcher, Federal National Mortgage Association
The universities where our graduates are recognized for their success is also a testament to the foundation received at Terry. Selected alumni holding chairs and named professorships:
- G. Stacy Sirmans, J. Harold and Barbara M. Chastain Eminent Scholar in Real Estate and Kenneth G. Bacheller Professor of Real Estate, Florida State University
- Anthony B. Sanders, Distinguished Professor of Real Estate Finance, George Mason University
- John H. (Jack) Corgel, Robert C. Baker Professor of Real Estate, Cornell University
- Paul Robert Goebel, James E. and Elizabeth F. Sowell Professor, Texas Tech University
- R. Kelley Pace, Louisiana Real Estate Commission Professor, Louisiana State University
- Brent Ambrose, Smeal Professor of Real Estate, Pennsylvania State University
- Tim Allen, Alico Chair of Finance, Eminent Scholar, Florida Gulf Coast University
- V. Carlos Slawson, C.J. Brown Distinguished Professor of Real Estate, Louisiana State University
- Barrett A. Slade, James M. Passey Professor of Finance, Brigham Young University