The University of South Florida is accelerating its push into real estate education, backed by new leadership, strong student demand and a $1.25 million gift from a Tampa Bay developer.
Randy Anderson, PhD, joined USF’s Muma College of Business in June 2025 to lead the university’s expanding real estate programs.
Since then, the initiative has gained traction across campus and attracted significant private support from alumnus Jeffery Hills, president of Tampa-based Eisenhower Property Group.
Together, university leaders say the combination of industry proximity, experienced leadership and donor investment positions USF to become a regional hub for real estate education as Tampa Bay continues to grow.
Built for Tampa Bay’s market
Real estate is one of the region’s largest economic drivers, and Anderson believes location is a deciding factor in whether a university program succeeds.
“There have been strong programs at great universities that struggled because they lacked industry connections,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “That is not the case here.”
READ MORE ABOUT USF’S REAL ESTATE PROGRAM
USF sits in the center of a market defined by development, institutional investment, and year-round deal activity.
That access has helped drive interest in the undergraduate real estate minor launched in 2024.
The minor has grown quickly and draws students from across campus. About a third of participants are non-business majors, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of real estate.
A pipeline from minor to master’s
USF is now building a full academic pathway.
The university plans to add real estate concentrations to two graduate programs in fall 2026, pending approval.
The concentrations will be offered through the Master of Science in Financial Analytics and the professional MBA.
Students will take courses including Real Estate Foundations, Real Estate Investment Analytics and Real Estate Development.
The larger initiative is a proposed Master of Science in Real Estate that could launch in fall 2027.
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The 30-credit-hour program is designed to be completed in about one year of full-time study and is moving through the university and state approval process.
Graduates would be prepared for roles in brokerage, development, private equity, lending, acquisitions and portfolio management.
“Our goal is for students to be day one ready,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “We want them to provide value immediately.”
Leadership with national experience
Anderson brings decades of experience building real estate programs across the country.
He previously established and led programs at Florida International University and the University of Central Florida and served as academic director of the William Newman Real Estate Program at Baruch College in New York.
Outside academia, he co-founded Griffin Capital Asset Management Co., where he served as CEO and launched real estate-focused investment products for individual investors.
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That background helped attract Hills, whose $1.25 million gift will support faculty hiring and curriculum development, including the planned master’s program.
Industry shaping the curriculum
USF is building the program with direct industry input.
A 40-member advisory board made up of senior real estate executives is helping shape the curriculum. Most members are based in Tampa Bay, with others from major markets including New York, Dallas and Atlanta.
“These are some of the most senior executives in the market,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “They all showed up for our inaugural meeting. The engagement has been amazing.”
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The college has also hosted high-profile speakers through partnerships with firms such as CBRE and MSCI, and recently held a global real estate outlook event broadcast live from a Muma classroom.
“When people hear about the program, they want to help,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “They mentor students, they come to campus and they want to hire our students.”
Student demand already strong
USF’s Real Estate Society is one of the largest student organizations on campus, with 500 to 700 members in a typical year. The group meets weekly and hosts speakers, a case competition and a career fair.
“If you are in Tampa Bay, you can continue an internship during the school year,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “Those opportunities exist 365 days a year.”
Preparing for real estate cycles
The curriculum is being designed to prepare students not just for growth but for downturns.
“Trees do not grow to the sky,” Anderson told TBBW in November. “Understanding cycles and risk helps students make better decisions over a long career.”
Applicants to the master’s program will not need an undergraduate real estate degree. The program is open to students with strong quantitative and communication skills from a range of academic backgrounds.
As Tampa Bay continues to attract investment and development, USF is positioning its real estate programs to help supply the talent shaping the region’s next phase of growth.