Master's in Construction and Real Estate Management (ConREM)

This English-language joint Master's is delivered in partnership between Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Helsinki) and HTW Berlin. Students follow a single admissions policy and one unified curriculum, spend one academic year in Helsinki and one year in Berlin, and graduate with a single joint degree. The programme brings together a small, highly international cohort — about 40 students representing up to 25 nationalities — and places strong emphasis on intercultural teamwork and international perspectives relevant to the building sector.

The curriculum builds from technical foundations toward broader management and communication skills. First-year modules (for example, Sustainable Development and Renovation and Reconstruction) give students a cross-disciplinary technical grounding across the building industry. In the second year, management and communication courses integrate those technical areas so graduates can navigate complex project and organisational relationships involving building economics, legal aspects and sustainability. The programme targets students who already have academic background and/or professional experience in building-related fields and prepares them for interdisciplinary roles in real estate and construction.

Graduates are sought after for their combination of technical understanding and management capabilities in the real estate and construction industries. The programme is accredited by ACQUIN (Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute), and the awarded Master of Science provides the academic qualification necessary to pursue doctoral studies.

Requirements (concise)

• Single, joint admissions policy for the Metropolia–HTW ConREM programme
• Programme taught in English; mobility expectation: one year in Helsinki and one year in Berlin
• Applicants should hold relevant prior academic knowledge and/or professional experience in building-related fields
• Cohort size is approximately 40 students, with up to 25 nationalities represented
• ACQUIN accreditation; degree qualifies graduates to apply for PhD programmes

Curriculum overview and study locations

This two-year (four-semester) Master’s programme is taught jointly by two partner institutions and must be started in Helsinki (semesters 1–2) and completed in Berlin (semesters 3–4). Each semester is organised into academic modules (lecture units) that students must pass by taking module examinations. Because of this split-campus design, attending taught courses on site is mandatory: students are expected to be physically present in Helsinki during the first year and in Berlin during the second year.

Core assessment structure and the Master’s thesis

The programme’s assessment model is module-based: successful completion of the curriculum depends on passing the semester module examinations. A major, sustained research component runs across three semesters and is dedicated to preparing and writing the Master’s thesis. The final compulsory element is the thesis defence (colloquium), which takes place at the end of the fourth semester and formally concludes the degree requirements.

Degree outcome and practical implications for applicants

Degree awarding depends on prior professional experience: graduates who had at least two years of full-time professional experience before the end of the programme’s application period are eligible to receive a joint German–Finnish degree title; these students may also be issued an additional certificate from the Finnish partner. Applicants without the two years’ prior work experience will receive a German degree title from the German partner institution. International applicants should therefore plan their application strategy and documentation accordingly and allow time for relocation, visa/residence permits, and accommodation arrangements for two different cities.

Requirements and key points

• Total duration: 4 semesters (full-time)
• Start location: Helsinki (semesters 1–2); completion location: Berlin (semesters 3–4)
• Physical attendance on each campus is mandatory during the respective semesters
• Curriculum is organised into modules; passing module examinations is required for progression
• A three-semester research module is dedicated to preparing and writing the Master’s thesis
• Final mandatory module: Master’s thesis defence (colloquium) at the end of semester 4
• Degree awarding:
  • Joint German–Finnish degree (plus optional supplementary certificate) awarded only if applicant had ≥2 years’ professional experience before the application deadline
  • German degree title awarded if applicant had <2 years’ prior professional experience
• Practical advice: allow time for visas, moving between countries, and budgeting for two different living locations during the programme.

ConREM graduates are positioned for roles that require interdisciplinary competence across construction, real estate and facility management. The programme equips students to handle technical, economic and regulatory aspects of the built environment, making them suitable for positions in project management, real estate development, property and asset management, renovation and sustainability consulting, and construction firms operating internationally.

Because the programme is ACQUIN-accredited and explicitly designed to bridge theory and practice, graduates who meet the experience requirements can also pursue academic research and PhD pathways. The international mobility and intercultural teamwork experience further enhance employability in multinational companies and cross-border projects.