Philadelphia's Moore College of Art & Design to accept students of all genders starting in 2027

Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia will open enrollment to students of all genders starting in the 2027-2028 academic year, the school announced.

The school's boards of trustees and managers voted to make the change for the school that historically accepted only women into its undergraduate program. In 2020, the school started accepting non-binary and gender-nonconforming students.

The decision follows research, analysis and community engagement efforts that started last year, according to an announcement posted online.

The school's research found that over more than 10 years, only 6% of prospective students said they considered Moore's identity as a women's college as a deciding factor for attending, while 25% said they viewed it as a reason not to enroll. 

"Moore has always believed that creativity demands courage. Opening enrollment to students of all genders ensures that future generations of artists and designers can access the deeply personal, career focused creative education that defines this institution. We are evolving our legacy and respecting our past," Cathy Young, president of Moore College of Art & Design, said in the announcement. 

The school on Race Street near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was founded in 1848 to expand women's access to higher education, its website says. It was the country's first art and design college for women.

Earlier this year, Young and the board said in a message to alumni that one of the reasons they were considering this change was the educational gap created by the sudden closure of the University of the Arts in 2024 and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' decision to stop granting degrees.

Moore's graduate and adult programs are already open to all genders.