Real Property Administration (Assessment & Appraisal) (RPA)

About the Program

This two-year diploma program is designed to prepare you to become a highly versatile and in-demand professional in the property valuation and property tax sectors.

You will acquire in-depth knowledge of property appraisal and property assessment fields, including all aspects of the property assessment system, the assessment appeals process, and property tax calculation and administration.

Your learning experience will incorporate leading-edge industry technology, industry-standard techniques, practical experience, and is enhanced by established strategic industry partnerships.

This hands-on program offers university-level courses. You will require accountability, responsibility, proficiency in time management, attention to detail, diligence and hard work along with good verbal and written communication skills in order to meet industry-prescribed standards. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team are also essential to your success in this program.

Note: This is not a real estate agent or property management program. This program does not equip you with the skills or credentials necessary to become a real estate agent or a property manager.

This program is also offered in an accelerated format for those who already possess a degree or diploma, and who have previously earned the academic equivalents of four general education credits as well as College English.

Learn more about the accelerated Real Property Administration (Assessment and Appraisal) program.

Credential Awarded

Ontario College Diploma

Duration

4 Semesters (2 Years)

Starts

September

Program and Course Delivery

This program is offered in Seneca's hybrid delivery format. Some coursework is online and some must be completed in person. Students will need to come on campus to complete in-person learning requirements.

Skills

Throughout this program you will develop the following skills:

Property valuation techniques
Data collection and analysis
Math and spreadsheet analysis
Effective communication
Conflict resolution
Leadership and team building

Work Experience

Field Placement

Fieldwork is an integral element of your program, providing a way to integrate classroom learning in to real industry situations – honing your skills and helping you build a network of contacts ahead of graduation. You'll benefit from two field placements with practitioners in the real property valuation and property taxation industries. This component is critical to your success and a requirement to graduate.

To be eligible for Field Placement I, you must successfully complete the full curriculum in semesters one and two. To be eligible for Field Placement II, you must successfully complete the full curriculum in semesters one, two and three.

Your Career

When you graduate from this program, these are the types of career options you can explore:

Property assessment agencies
Property appraisal firms
Property tax agent firms
Corporate property tax offices
Municipal government tax departments
Leasing Agents

Affiliations/Associations

As a graduate meeting certain minimum grade requirements, you will receive:

A Certificate in Real Property Assessment awarded by the Real Estate Division of the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, and
A Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution awarded by Seneca Polytechnic – in addition to the Real Property Administration Diploma awarded by Seneca Polytechnic.

Seneca's partnership with various industry organizations will help you receive valuable industry training and education in the form of curriculum material, workshops and presentations. Program partners include:

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
The Assessment Review Board (ARB)
The Institute of Municipal Assessors (IMA)
The Ontario Municipal Tax and Revenue Association (OMTRA)
The Canadian Property Tax Association (CPTA)
The Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC)

Professional Accreditation

As a graduate of this program, assuming you meet all the minimum academic requirements, you will receive credits towards designations from accredited institutes, such as:

The Institute of Municipal Assessors

Associate Member Institute of Municipal Assessors (AIMA)
Member Institute of Municipal Assessors (MIMA)

The Appraisal Institute of Canada

Canadian Residential Appraiser (CRA)
Accredited Appraiser Canadian Institute (AACI)

Please Note: To be a fully accredited appraiser with the Appraisal Institute of Canada, you are required to have a three-year university degree.

Program of Study

Course List
Course Code	Course Name	Weekly Hours
Semester 1
COM101	Communicating Across Contexts	3
or COM111	Communicating Across Contexts (Enriched)
RPA107	Spreadsheet Analysis I	2
RPA112	The Appraisal of Real Estate	8
RPA115	Mortgage Underwriting	4
RPA120	Principles of Microeconomics	3
plus: General Education Course (1)		3
Semester 2
RPA208	Canadian Real Property Law and Real Estate Ethics	4
RPA210	Municipal Tax Administration	3
RPA212	Real Estate Investment Analysis and Adv. Income App.	4
RPA220	Ethical Guide for the Assessor	3
plus: General Education Course (1)		3
Semester 3
CSP201	Communication Skills for Public Administration	3
FPL355	Field Placement I	1
RPA304	Advanced Real Property Assessment I	3
RPA306	Construction and Cost Techniques	3
RPA307	Statistical and Computer Applications in Valuation	4
RPA323	Assessment Appeals	3
plus: General Education Course (1)		3
Semester 4
FPL455	Field Placement II	1
RPA407	Spreadsheet Analysis II	3
RPA414	Alternative Dispute Resolution	3
RPA415	Professional Issues in the Assessment Industry	3
RPA422	Residential Data Collection	5
RPA423	Appeals in Practice	3
RPA426	Income Properties	4

Program Learning Outcomes

This Seneca program has been validated by the Credential Validation Service as an Ontario College Credential as required by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:

Solve financial problems, make business decisions.
Analyze financial statements.
Understand and interpret basic building trade blueprints.
Develop observation and investigation skills with relationship to the real estate market.
Develop appraisal skills of specific properties and utilizing select appraisal techniques.
Understand and interpret several provincial Acts; i.e. Assessment and Planning Act.
Apply several advanced computer applications.
Understand mortgage law and apply the techniques of mortgage financing.
Acquire an understanding of the basic concepts of real property law and real estate practice.
Acquire the skills and procedures to conduct an entire title search on real property in Ontario.
Acquire the necessary skills to valuate property and determine their equitable assessments for taxation purposes in Ontario.
Acquire the ability to utilize the tools of short and long range planning in reference to the day to day management of revenue producing properties so that management may plan for future development.
Understand the development of a city, the problems that have arisen as a result of growth and explore solutions which have been attempted to offset problems of urban areas today.
Acquire the integration of theoretical knowledge and skills through practical experiences. (Field Placement)
Acquire an understanding surrounding the power of legislature to control land use in Ontario.
Understand terminology, legal requirements, documents, methodology and administration in the real estate industry.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or a mature applicant
English: Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent course
Mathematics: Grade 12 C or U, or Grade 11 U or M, or equivalent course

Canadian citizens and permanent residents may satisfy the English and/or mathematics requirements for this program through successful Seneca pre-admission testing.

International Student Information

International admissions requirements vary by program and in addition to English requirements, programs may require credits in mathematics, biology, and chemistry at a level equivalent to Ontario’s curriculum, or a postsecondary degree or diploma, equivalent to an Ontario university or college. Program-specific pre-requisite courses and credentials are listed with the admission requirements on each program page. To review the academic requirements please visit: Academic Requirements - Seneca, Toronto, Canada (senecapolytechnic.ca).