The Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison announces a new Private Equity Track within its real estate MS and MBA degree programs. The one-year track, which will start in Fall 2020, culminates a multiyear effort to create a best-in-class learning opportunity for graduate students by developing four real estate private equity courses and establishing an investment fund.
The Private Equity Track will position students to advise investment fund board members on private placement investments in commercial real estate through a unique alumni equity fund. Student teams will make investment recommendations in a variety of private investment funds, thereby learning to structure investments across a range of property types, regions, and investment vehicles.
The 12-credit program will be led by Mike Brennan, Irgens Executive Director of the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate and chairman and managing principal of Brennan Investments. Mark Eppli, director of the Graaskamp Center, will teach the Introduction to Real Estate Private Equity Investment course and assist Brennan with the other real estate private equity courses.
“We believe that we have the best real estate curriculum and the best applied and academic team to deliver the best private equity learning experience globally,” says Eppli. “The Private Equity Track responds to industry needs and provides our graduate students with targeted expertise and real-world skills in real estate. We are extremely excited about the new real estate private equity track, the future of the Graaskamp Center, and the Wisconsin Real Estate Program.”
The new Private Equity Track solidifies WSB’s reputation of providing one of the premier real estate education programs in the world. The track enhances an already robust portfolio of real estate offerings, including the undergraduate, MS, MBA, Global Real Estate Master (GREM), and PhD programs.
Students admitted to the real estate MS or MBA programs can enroll in the Private Equity Track, along with the existing Applied Real Estate Investment Track (AREIT) and the general Commercial Real Estate Development Track. Students interested in applying to the program should follow WSB’s standard admissions processes.
Additional Application Information
Due to the challenging circumstances created by COVID-19, applications for the Real Estate MS will now be accepted through July 15, 2020. In addition, real estate/WSB undergraduates can apply for the GMAT waiver if they meet the following criteria: (1) 3.5 GPA or higher and (2) grade of B or higher in Economics and Statistics or one advanced math course. View the waiver criteria here.