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Minor in Real Estate
from Stoa: Volume 0
The Minor in Real Estate
Macartan Commers, Fifth-Year Student
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One of the main reasons I made the decision to attend Notre Dame four years ago was that I knew I would be able to receive a well-rounded education. I had not yet decided to go all in on the architecture program; in fact, I really did not know much at all about it before visiting campus in the spring of 2016. I had numerous academic interests coming into college, which is the case for most of the bright and talented students here, and I have been able to further these interests in a number of ways over the years.
Our major is synonymous with long hours of work that leave little time for pursuits outside of architecture. However, if you are willing to load up your schedule a little bit and take a few extra credits each semester, it is actually quite easy to pick up a minor or a concentration. There are also other creative ways to do this, such as using required classes to your benefit. I took the six credits of Italian that the School of Architecture requires, added a few Italian language and culture classes, and turned it into a minor.
Just because a course doesn’t exist at our school, it doesn’t mean that you can’t seek out different ways to further your education. The Minor in Real Estate was only offered at the start of the 2019 fall semester—not during my first three years here. I have, however, been able to participate in real estate-related activities since my first year. I joined the Real Estate Club early on and was able to participate in a case competition in the spring of my first year that included a final presentation in Chicago.
Notre Dame has now not only created the Minor in Real Estate, but also the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate, which offers a multitude of ways to get involved in the industry. I am looking forward to taking more real estate-focused classes in the upcoming academic year. I will also be serving as an officer for the Real Estate Club of Notre Dame—another great on-campus resource for all things real estate in both the classroom and the professional world.
I was fortunate enough to spend a summer abroad in New Zealand to take an asset management class offered by the Civil Engineering Department and to do a research internship at the University of Auckland. This three-week course is one of many interdisciplinary course options that count toward the real estate minor. I was able to study both the architectural history of the country as well as understand the underlying impacts and considerations of its infrastructure.
There are a variety of opportunities, beyond the many that the School of Architecture offers, that contribute to the holistic education needed for success in the profession. I encourage students still early on in their college experience to explore how the many offerings of our great university can enhance their educational experience.