Level I Certificates & AAS, Real Estate
Additional information: Reference the SHSU Polytechnic College page for additional information.
Program Description
The Real Estate Program is designed to equip students with the practical knowledge and industry-specific skills required to succeed in today’s competitive real estate market. The program provides a flexible pathway aligned with Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) licensure requirements. The curriculum emphasizes transaction-ready competencies, ensuring students are prepared to move confidently from coursework to professional practice.
Students develop expertise in contracts, leasing, property operations, digital real estate tools and regulatory compliance. With targeted instruction focused on residential real estate and property management, the program combines foundational real estate principles with applied learning experiences that reflect current market expectations. Coursework is designed to strengthen communication, negotiation and client service skills, while reinforcing ethical standards and legal responsibilities within the profession.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared to pursue TREC licensure and enter the workforce with the practical experience and professional competencies needed to thrive in residential real estate or property management.
Statewide Industry Insights
- Current Workforce: 12,521
- Average Salary: $62,600
- Open Positions: 1,319
Data provided by Lightcast, 2025
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level I Certificate, Property Management | ||
| RELE 1307 | Real Estate Investments | 3 |
| RELE 1309 | Real Estate Law | 3 |
| RELE 1315 | Residential Property Management | 3 |
| RELE 1321 | Real Estate Marketing | 3 |
| RELE 1335 | Real Estate Construction | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Note: The Level I certificate program stacks into the AAS curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level I Certificate, Residential Real Estate | ||
| Total Hours | 16 | |
| RELE 1200 | Contract Forms | 2 |
| RELE 1201 | Principles of Real Estate I | 2 |
| RELE 1211 | Law of Contracts | 2 |
| RELE 1238 | Principles of Real Estate II | 2 |
| RELE 1303 | Real Estate Appraisal | 3 |
| RELE 2201 | Law of Agency | 2 |
| RELE 2331 | Real Estate Brokerage | 3 |
| Cumulative Total | 31 | |
Note: The Level I certificate program stacks into the AAS curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AAS, Real Estate | ||
| Level I Certificate, Property Management | 15 | |
| Level I Certificate, Residential Real Estate | 16 | |
| Core Curriculum | ||
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I 1 | 3 |
| MATH 1332 | College Mathematics 2 | 3 |
| PHIL 2303 | Critical Thinking 3 | 3 |
| SPCH 1321 | Business & Professional Communication 4 | 3 |
| Required Courses | ||
| ECON 2301 | Principles Of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| PBAD 2347 | Urban Planning | 3 |
| RELE 1219 | Real Estate Finance | 2 |
| RELE 1323 | Real Estate Computer Application | 3 |
| RELE 1329 | Fundamentals of Environmental Issues | 3 |
| RELE 2381 | Cooperative Education - Real Estate | 3 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
ENGL 1301 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area I (Communications).
- 2
MATH 1332 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics).
- 3
PHIL 2303 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences).
- 4
SPCH 1321 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).
Additional information: Reference the SHSU Polytechnic College page for additional information.
Level I Certificate, Residential Real Estate
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Hours |
| Term 1 | |
| RELE 1200 | 2 |
| RELE 1201 | 2 |
| RELE 1211 | 2 |
| Term 2 | |
| RELE 1238 | 2 |
| RELE 1303 | 3 |
| RELE 2201 | 2 |
| RELE 2331 | 3 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours: 16 | |
Note: The Level I certificate program stacks into the AAS curriculum. All courses are scheduled for 7.5-weeks in length.
Level I Certificate, Property Management
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Spring | Hours |
| Term 3 | |
| RELE 1307 | 3 |
| RELE 1309 | 3 |
| RELE 1315 | 3 |
| Term 4 | |
| RELE 1321 | 3 |
| RELE 1335 | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours: 15 | |
Note: The Level I certificate program stacks into the AAS curriculum. All courses are scheduled for 7.5-weeks in length.
AAS, Real Estate
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hours | ||
| Term 5 | |||
| PBAD 2347 | 3 | ||
| RELE 1219 | 2 | ||
| RELE 1323 | 3 | ||
| RELE 1329 | 3 | ||
| Term 6 | |||
| RELE 2381 | 3 | ||
| 14 | |||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | ||
| Term 7 | |||
| ECON 2301 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 13011 | 3 | ||
| MATH 13322 | 3 | ||
| SPCH 13213 | 3 | ||
| Term 8 | |||
| PHIL 23034 | 3 | ||
| 15 | |||
| Total Hours: 29 | |||
Note: All courses are scheduled for 7.5-weeks in length.
- 1
ENGL 1301 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area I (Communications).
- 2
MATH 1332 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics).
- 3
SPCH 1321 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area IX (Component Area Option).
- 4
PHIL 2303 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences).
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The Level I Certificates and AAS Program in Real Estate are designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
- Prepare and interpret real estate contracts, leases, and addenda using accurate legal and industry terminology.
- Apply real estate laws, regulations, and ethical practices in residential sales and property management settings.
- Utilize real estate technologies and platforms such as MLS (Multiple Listing Service - a database system used by real estate professionals to share information about properties for sale, and is a critical tool in real estate for listing, searching, and marketing residential and commercial properties, property management software, and digital marketing tools).
- Analyze property data and market trends to support pricing, investment, and leasing decisions.
Public Administration
PBAD 2347. Urban Planning. 3 Hours.
Examination of urban and regional planning. Topics include environmental analysis, growth and redevelopment strategies, planning, zoning, and subdividing.
Real Estate
RELE 1200. Contract Forms. 2 Hours.
Provides and overview of promulgated contract forms, including but not limited to unauthorized practice of law, Broker-Lawyer Committee, current promulgated and approved forms, commission rules governing use of forms and case studies involving use of forms. Completion of promulgated contract forms and addenda based on given real estate scenarios.
RELE 1201. Principles of Real Estate I. 2 Hours.
A beginning overview of licensing as a real estate broker or salesperson. Includes ethics of practice as a license holder, titles to and conveyance of real estate, legal descriptions, deeds, encumbrances and liens, distinctions between personal and real property, appraisal, finance and regulations, closing procedures, and real estate mathematics. Covers instruction on federal, state, and local laws relating to housing discrimination, housing credit discrimination, and community reinvestment. Fulfills one-half of required instruction in Principles of Real Estate I and II for salesperson license.
RELE 1211. Law of Contracts. 2 Hours.
Fundamental elements of a contract, offer and acceptance, statute of frauds, specific performance and remedies for breach, unauthorized practice of law, commission rules relating to use of adopted forms, and disclosure requirements.
RELE 1219. Real Estate Finance. 2 Hours.
Examination of monetary systems, primary and secondary money markets, sources of mortgage loans, federal government programs, loan applications, processes and procedures, closing costs, alternative financial instruments, equal credit opportunity laws affecting mortgage lending, Community Reinvestment Act, and the federal and state housing agencies.
RELE 1238. Principles of Real Estate II. 2 Hours.
A continuing overview of licensing as a broker or salesperson. Includes ethics of practice as a license holder, titles to and conveyance of real estate, legal descriptions, deeds, encumbrances and liens, distinctions between personal and real property, appraisal, finance and regulations, closing procedures, and real estate mathematics. Covers instruction on federal, state, and local laws relating to housing discrimination, housing credit discrimination, and community reinvestment. Fulfills one-half of the required instruction in Principles of Real Estate I and II for the salesperson license.
RELE 1303. Real Estate Appraisal. 3 Hours.
Introduction to the central purposes and functions of an appraisal, social and economic determinants of value, appraisal case studies, cost, market data and income approaches to value estimates, final correlations, and reporting.
RELE 1307. Real Estate Investments. 3 Hours.
Introduction to characteristics of real estate investments. Includes techniques of investment analysis, time value of money, discounted and non-discounted investment criteria, leverage, tax shelters, depreciation, and applications to property tax.
RELE 1309. Real Estate Law. 3 Hours.
Legal concepts of real estate, land description, real property rights, estates in land, contracts, conveyances, encumbrances, foreclosures, recording procedures, and evidence of title.
RELE 1315. Residential Property Management. 3 Hours.
Examination of the role of the property manager, landlord policies, operational guidelines, leases, lease negotiations, tenant relations, maintenance, reports, habitability laws, and the Fair Housing Act.
RELE 1321. Real Estate Marketing. 3 Hours.
Real estate professionalism and ethics, characteristics of successful salespersons, time management, psychology of marketing, listing procedures, advertising, negotiation and closing financing; and the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.
RELE 1323. Real Estate Computer Application. 3 Hours.
A study of the availability of technology, especially software, and its ability to help a real estate agent become more productive. Includes data base mapping interest and software application.
RELE 1329. Fundamentals of Environmental Issues. 3 Hours.
Environmental issues affecting the real estate industry including hazardous substances, underground storage tanks, and wetlands.
RELE 1335. Real Estate Construction. 3 Hours.
Basic principles of design and construction of real estate properties. including cost estimates and permitting requirements.
RELE 2201. Law of Agency. 2 Hours.
Examination of the law of agency including principal broker relationship, the authority of an agent, the termination of an agent's authority, the fiduciary and other duties of an agent, employment law, deceptive trade practices, listing or buying representation procedures, and the disclosure of agency.
RELE 2331. Real Estate Brokerage. 3 Hours.
A study of law of agency, planning and organization, operational policies and procedures, recruiting, selection and training of personnel, records and control, and real estate firm analysis and expansion criteria.
RELE 2381. Cooperative Education - Real Estate. 3 Hours.
Career-related activities encountered in the student's area of specialization offered through an individualized agreement among the college, employer, and student. Under the supervision of the college and the employer, the student combines classroom learning with work experience. Includes a lecture component.
