PHILADELPHIA — Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia announced on June 2, 2026, that it will open undergraduate enrollment to students of all gender identities. Undergraduate students of any gender will be eligible to enroll at the college starting in the 2027-28 academic year session.
The college's Board of Trustees and Managers approved the admissions policy change following a study of higher education, financial, and enrollment trends that lasted nearly a year, according to a college statement. This transition in policy requires final approval from the college's accreditor body.
Moore College President Cathy Young stated that the decision to adopt a coeducational model stems from a strong financial position. Young said, "This decision reflects both who Moore has always been and who we must continue to become for the creatives who thrive here and for the City of Philadelphia."
Moore College of Art & Design was founded in 1848 as the Philadelphia School of Design for Women. It was the first women's art school established in the United States. The institution has previously operated under the names Moore Institute of Art, Science, and Industry and Moore College of Art. In 1959, the college relocated to a campus near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.
The college currently admits men into its graduate level programs. In 2015, Moore College of Art & Design updated its enrollment policies to admit transgender women applicants. In 2020, the college revised its admission policy again to include non-binary and gender-nonconforming students.
The total number of women's colleges in the United States has decreased to approximately 30 women's colleges. Notre Dame of Maryland University also transitioned to a coeducational enrollment model in the year 2023.