Solve real-world real estate challenges
The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate encourages graduate and undergraduate students to participate in local and international real estate-related competitions. It's a great way to put theory into practice, build upon your existing analytical and qualitative skills and deepen your relationships with your cohort and faculty.
Graduate Student Competition: ARGUS
Master's in real estate students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom and partake in highly competitive real estate case competitions. The international ARGUS University Challenge is one of our favorite and most successful competitions. This challenge brings together student teams from universities around the world to simulate a comprehensive real-life development analysis of a fictitious commercial real estate project. Submissions are judged by a panel of industry and academic professionals and the winning teams receive cash prizes. In the ten years the competition has been held, the Knauss School of Business team has taken first place on seven occasions and second place on three occasions. We are very proud of our graduate students.
ARGUS University Challenge Results
| Year | Winner | Second place | Third place | Fourth Place | Honorable Mention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg |
University of San Diego | NYU Schack Institue of Real Eatate | London School of Economics and Political Science | |
| 2024 | University of San Diego | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | Cornell University | Baruch College | |
| 2023 | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | University of San Diego | University of Chicago | Florida International University | |
| 2022 | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | Florida International University | University of San Diego | |
| 2021 | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | University of San Diego | University of Wisconsin-Madison | ||
| 2020 | International Real Estate Business School (IREBS) University of Regensburg | University of Pennsylvania | University of San Diego | ||
| 2019 | University of San Diego | University of Pennsylvania | Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo | ||
| 2018 | Cornell University | University of San Diego | University of Chicago | ||
| 2017 | University of San Diego | Cornell University | Louisiana State University | ||
| 2016 | University of San Diego | MIT | Louisiana State University | ||
| 2015 | University of San Diego | University of New Brunswick | Florida International University | ||
| 2014 | University of San Diego | University of Pennsylvania | York University | ||
| 2013 | York University | University of San Diego | Florida International University | ||
| 2012 | York University | University of San Diego | New York University | ||
| 2011 | University of San Diego | Emory University | University of North Carolina | ||
| 2009 | University of San Diego | Arizona State University and Baruch College |
University of Colorado and University of North Carolina |
Repeat ARGUS Champions
USD teams have been very successful in real estate competitions. As a result of winning multiple first-place finishes in the international ARGUS University Challenge, our master's in real estate program has received increasing national recognition — and MSRE students continue to excel in this competition.
Undergraduate Student Competition: NAIOP
USD undergraduate real estate students are invited to take part in the annual NAIOP University Challenge. The NAIOP University Challenge brings together teams from three local universities (University of San Diego, San Diego State University and University of California at San Diego), to compete head-to-head in a highest and best use site/case study of a piece of land in San Diego County. The Challenge is judged on three criteria: a written proposal, a 30 minute Q&A session before a panel of judges from the real estate industry and an oral presentation before more than 300 NAIOP members, city officials, guests and a panel of real estate industry judges.
USD undergraduate real estate teams took first place in the 2022, 2019 and 2017 NAIOP University Challenges.
Read about the 2025 NAIOP University Challenge.