Thomas More College

Thomas More College was a coeducational, undergraduate college of liberal arts and sciences that was open from the fall of 1964 until it merged with Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1974. It offered arts and science programs for women as well as programs, such as drama, for men that were unavailable at Fordham University, which, at that time, only admitted men into its undergraduate programs. While the undergraduate school of Fordham University only admitted men, many of Fordham's graduate schools, such as the School of Education, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Law School, College of Pharmacy and School of Social Service were coeducational. Thomas More College, however, provided women the opportunity to earn an undergraduate liberal arts degree. History (1964 and beyond) In 1963, Thomas More College was expected to take in 400 students in its first year with the goal of eventually increasing enrollment to 2,200 students. The report of the Middle States Association in 1950 stated: "It would be undesirable to propose that women be admitted to Fordham College because of its long tradition." So, instead of making Fordham co-educational, the University decided instead to establish a women's college with a unique name and name "right on the campus where the little bluestockings could sit beside the boys in class without making Fordham College co-educational." At Rose Hill, the all-female school began instruction in 1964.