Moore College of Art & Design to Go Coed

Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia announced earlier this week that it will begin accepting applicants of all genders, ending its nearly 180-year run as an institution for women.

Like some other women’s colleges, Moore already admitted men into its graduate programs (and changed its policies to begin accepting transgender women in 2015). But now students of any gender can enroll at the undergraduate level starting in the 2027–28 academic year as the small art college changes its long-standing admissions criteria, according to the announcement.

While various women’s colleges have gone coed in the past because of financial issues, President Cathy Young told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Moore’s decision stems from a strong fiscal position. She described the change as “a continuation of our mission.”

The newspaper noted the change must still be approved by Moore’s accreditor.

The move comes after months of deliberation and a shake-up among Philadelphia art schools. The University of the Arts closed abruptly in 2024, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, which doubled as a museum and art school, also recently wound down degree programs.

As Moore shifts to a coed model, it marks the loss of another single-sex college. While women’s colleges once numbered more than 200—which reflected a time when many institutions discriminated against female applicants—that figure now stands at around 30 altogether.
Notre Dame of Maryland University was the last women’s college to go coed in 2023.