Moore College of Art & Design will undergo one of the biggest changes in its 178-year history beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, when it opens its undergraduate programs to students of all genders, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
For a school founded in 1848 as the Philadelphia School of Design for Women — the first art and design college for women in the United States — it’s a transformation that would have been unthinkable for most of its history.
The decision is driven by both demographic and financial realities facing small private colleges.
By broadening admissions, Moore hopes to expand its applicant base and secure its long-term sustainability.
Moore President Cathy Young said the decision is consistent with the institution’s mission moving forward.
“We want to serve students of all identities, and we want to serve the city by graduating those students into the creative economy here,” Young said.
The first co-educational undergraduate class of Moore College’s history will arrive in fall 2027, building on a 2020 policy that welcomed transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming students.
College leaders have emphasized that Moore’s commitment to art and design education remains unchanged.
Chief Academic Officer Claudine Thomas said faculty members support efforts to keep the institution strong, noting that “whatever the college can do to remain vibrant and supportive and, most importantly, uplift art and design education, especially in Philadelphia, they’re on board to do it.”
To learn more about Moore College’s historic decision to broaden its admissions and what it could mean for the future of art education in Philadelphia, read the full article in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
_____
