
CRE Development Certificate
In today’s commercial real estate environment, professionals who understand the full development process—from site selection to project completion—are positioned to lead. The CRE Development Certificate from The CCIM Institute is designed for those who want to deepen their knowledge, sharpen their investment instincts, and deliver smarter deals. Whether you’re an emerging developer or a seasoned investor seeking to expand your toolkit, this program helps you reduce risk, improve ROI, and confidently navigate every stage of a development project.
The CRE Development Certificate is structured around the Real Estate Development Matrix created by Daniel Kohlhepp, Ph.D., Academic Program Director for Real Estate and Infrastructure at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, providing a practical framework that grounds the entire learning experience.

"That program has changed the way I do business, and other people [who] have taken it — it's changed their business as well."
Compass Real Estate Investments/Compass CTX
Recommended Path - CCIM Designees
- Complete the Application Form
Take the Introduction to Development Workshop
(Offered in-person or as five 3-hour instructor-led online sessions)
Complete the Following Courses (in any order):
Take Each of the 7 Stages of Development Courses (4 hours each, online instructor-led)
Complete 10 Hours of Approved Elective Courses (choose from the official electives list)
Take the Advanced Commercial Real Estate Development Practices Course
(In-person, 2.5 days; requires the "Introduction to Development Workshop" as a prerequisite)
Receive Your Certificate
Framed certificate from The CCIM Institute
Recommended Path - Other Professionals
Earn a $200 discount off the candidate membership fee.
Join as a Candidate Member
Take the Introduction to Development Workshop
(Offered in-person or as five 3-hour instructor-led online sessions)
Complete the Following Courses (in any order):
Take Each of the 7 Stages of Development Courses (4 hours each, online instructor-led)
CI 101: Financial Analysis for Commercial Investment Real Estate
(Required for non-designees)
Complete 10 Hours of Approved Elective Courses (choose from the official elective list)
Take the Advanced Commercial Real Estate Development Practices Course
(In-person, 2.5 days; requires the "Introduction to Development Workshop" as a prerequisite)
Receive Your Certificate
Framed certificate from The CCIM Institute
Curriculum Overview
The program includes nine specialized courses, covering every critical phase—from market research to entitlements, financing, construction, and asset operations.
Required Courses
Introduction to Development Workshop | Register Now |
Complete courses below in any order.
CI101 is required for other professionals.
CI101: Financial Analysis for Commercial Investment Real Estate | Register Now |
Advanced Commercial Real Estate Development Practices | Register Now |
This series is made available by The CCIM Institute's Robert L. Ward Center for Commercial Real Estate Studies.
Get Started
Elective Credits (10 Hours)
Individuals pursuing the CRE Development Certificate are required to complete 10 hours of approved elective courses.
View Elective Credit Options
FAQs
Who should enroll?
This certificate is ideal for:
- Commercial real estate professionals looking to expand their expertise into development.
- Brokers, investors, and asset managers seeking deeper insights into the development lifecycle.
- Municipal and planning professionals who work with developers and land-use regulations.
- Developers and project managers refining their strategic and financial approaches.
How do I enroll in the program?
Login to your MyCCIM account or create an account if you don’t already have one, add the CRE Development Certificate application to your order, complete and submit the application form, and remit the $195 application fee.
The application fee is waived if you’re a CCIM Designee!
What are the steps for achieving the certificate?
Step 1: Enroll in the program. This is an important first step as your enrollment will enable a 5-year lookback within the system. Any certificate program course(s) you have already completed during the 5-year lookback period will be tracked as completed in your program tracker.
Step 2: Complete the nine (9) required courses and acquire the 10 elective hours from the list of elective course options.
How do I track my progress in the CRE Development Certificate?
You can track your progress using the Program Tracker from within your CCIM My Account.
What if I’m currently pursuing the Development Specialty Track program? How will these changes affect my progress?
Great question! The Development Specialty Track has been revised and relaunched as the CRE Development Certificate.
You will receive credit for courses you’ve completed during the past 5-year period that were in the old program structure – but there are some changes to be aware of going forward. In order to provide a more concise and clear pathway for the program, we’ve made some helpful revisions to the curriculum and the requirements. The primary changes are:
- Simplification by revising and combining some of the required courses:
- The Introduction to Development Workshop has been revised with new case studies.
- The content in the 8 Tasks of Development courses have been incorporated into the 7 Stages of Development courses.
- The Advanced Development Practices Workshop has been revised to serve as a comprehensive review of the concepts using case studies.
- We’ve added CI 101: Financial Analysis for Commercial Investment Real Estate as a required course for non-CCIMs.
- The elective course hours component has been reduced from 30 hours to 10 hours.
Program Structure: Old vs New!
Old Development Specialty Track | NEW CRE Development Certificate |
Introduction to Development Workshop | Introduction to Development Workshop |
Choose any 8 of 15 courses (from a group of 7 Stages courses and 8 Tasks courses) | Take the 7 Stages courses (we have integrated the 8 Tasks into the 7 Stages courses to simplify the pathway) |
Take 30 hours of elective courses from a list of 16 different courses | Take 10 hours of elective courses from a list of 10 different courses |
Advanced CRE Development Practices Workshop | Advanced CRE Development Practices Workshop |
| CI 101 (for non-CCIMs only) |
Will I get credit for any course(s) I have previously taken that are in this certificate program?
Yes! Any certificate program course(s) you completed during the 5-year lookback period will be tracked as completed in your Program Tracker.
The 5-year lookback includes elective courses you completed that were eligible at that time. In addition, if during the 5-year lookback you completed any of the eight (8) self-paced “Tasks of Development” courses, you will receive 4.0 elective credit hours for each “Tasks” course you completed.
Once you submit your application form, the system will automatically update your Program Tracker with this information.
What happens when I complete the CRE Development Certificate?
You will receive a framed certificate from The CCIM Institute. If you have not already taken advantage of the one-time $200 discount off the Candidate Membership fee, you will have up to one (1) year after completing the program to use the discount.
Still need help?
If you have any questions, please contact Jenae Grayer at certificates@ccim.com or (312)321-4462 | Derek Beacher at certificates@ccim.com or (312) 321-4482.