diff --git a/server/app.js b/server/app.js
index dfe51f49..b1b22093 100644
--- a/server/app.js
+++ b/server/app.js
@@ -1,36 +1,238 @@
 const express = require("express");
 const morgan = require("morgan");
 const cookieParser = require("cookie-parser");
+const cors = require("cors");
+const mongoose = require("mongoose");
 const PORT = 5005;
 
-// STATIC DATA
-// Devs Team - Import the provided files with JSON data of students and cohorts here:
-// ...
+// MODELS
+const Cohort = require("./models/Cohort.model");
+const Student = require("./models/Student.model");
 
-
-// INITIALIZE EXPRESS APP - https://expressjs.com/en/4x/api.html#express
+// INITIALIZE EXPRESS APP
 const app = express();
 
-
 // MIDDLEWARE
-// Research Team - Set up CORS middleware here:
-// ...
 app.use(express.json());
 app.use(morgan("dev"));
 app.use(express.static("public"));
 app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: false }));
 app.use(cookieParser());
+app.use(cors());
+
+// MONGOOSE CONNECTION
+mongoose
+  .connect("mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/cohort-tools-api")
+  .then((x) => console.log(`Connected to Mongo! Database name: "${x.connections[0].name}"`))
+  .catch((err) => console.error("Error connecting to MongoDB", err));
 
 
-// ROUTES - https://expressjs.com/en/starter/basic-routing.html
-// Devs Team - Start working on the routes here:
-// ...
+// =========================================================
+// ROUTES
+// =========================================================
+
 app.get("/docs", (req, res) => {
   res.sendFile(__dirname + "/views/docs.html");
 });
 
+// --- COHORT ROUTES ---
+
+// GET /api/cohorts - Retrieve all cohorts
+app.get("/api/cohorts", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const cohorts = await Cohort.find();
+    res.status(200).json(cohorts);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to retrieve cohorts";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// POST /api/cohorts - Create a new cohort
+app.post("/api/cohorts", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const newCohort = await Cohort.create(req.body);
+    res.status(201).json(newCohort);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to create cohorts";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// GET /api/cohorts/:cohortId - Retrieve a specific cohort by id
+app.get("/api/cohorts/:cohortId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const cohort = await Cohort.findById(req.params.cohortId);
+    if (!cohort) {
+      const error = new Error("Cohort not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+
+    }
+    res.status(200).json(updatedCohort);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to retrieve cohort";
+    next(error);
+  }
+  });
+
+// PUT /api/cohorts/:cohortId - Update a specific cohort by id
+app.put("/api/cohorts/:cohortId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const updatedCohort = await Cohort.findByIdAndUpdate(req.params.cohortId, req.body, { new: true });
+    if (!updatedCohort) {
+      const error = new Error("Cohort not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+
+    }
+    res.status(200).json(updatedCohort);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to update cohort";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// DELETE /api/cohorts/:cohortId - Delete a specific cohort by id
+app.delete("/api/cohorts/:cohortId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const deletedCohort = await Cohort.findByIdAndDelete(req.params.cohortId);
+    if (!deletedCohort) {
+      const error = new Error("Cohort not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+
+    }
+    res.status(204).send(); 
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.messgae ="Failed to delete cohort";
+    next(error);
+
+  }
+});
+
+
+// --- STUDENT ROUTES ---
+
+// GET /api/students - Retrieve all students
+app.get("/api/students", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const students = await Student.find().populate("cohort");
+    res.status(200).json(students);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to retrieve students";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// POST /api/students - Create a new student
+app.post("/api/students", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const newStudent = await Student.create(req.body);
+    res.status(201).json(newStudent);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to create student";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// GET /api/students/cohort/:cohortId - Retrieve all students for a given cohort
+app.get("/api/students/cohort/:cohortId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const students = await Student.find({ cohort: req.params.cohortId }).populate("cohort");
+    res.status(200).json(students);
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to retrieve students for the cohort";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// GET /api/students/:studentId - Retrieve a specific student by id
+app.get("/api/students/:studentId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const student = await Student.findById(req.params.studentId).populate("cohort");
+    if (!student) {const error = new Error ("Student not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+    }
+      
+    res.status(200).json(student);
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to updatestudent";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// PUT /api/students/:studentId - Update a specific student by id
+app.put("/api/students/:studentId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const updatedStudent = await Student.findByIdAndUpdate(req.params.studentId, req.body, { new: true });
+    if (!updatedStudent) {
+      const error = new Error ("Student not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+    }
+      
+    res.status(200).json(updatedStudent);
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to delete student";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// DELETE /api/students/:studentId - Delete a specific student by id
+app.delete("/api/students/:studentId", async (req, res, next) => {
+  try {
+    const deletedStudent = await Student.findByIdAndDelete(req.params.studentId);
+    if (!deletedStudent) {
+      const error = new Error("Student not found");
+      error.status = 404;
+      return next(error);
+    }
+    res.status(204).send(); 
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    error.status = 500;
+    error.message = "Failed to delete student";
+    next(error);
+  }
+});
+
+// =========================================================
+// ERROR HANDLING
+// =========================================================
+  //404 
+
+  app.use((req, res) => {
+    res.status(404).json ({
+      message: "Route not found"
+    });
+
+  app.use((error, req, res, next) => {
+    console.error(error);
+    res.status(500).json({ message: "Internal server error" });
+  });
+
+});
+
+
+
 
+// =========================================================
 // START SERVER
+// =========================================================
 app.listen(PORT, () => {
   console.log(`Server listening on port ${PORT}`);
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/models/Cohort.model.js b/server/models/Cohort.model.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d34e019
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/models/Cohort.model.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const mongoose = require("mongoose");
+const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
+
+const cohortSchema = new Schema({
+  cohortSlug: { type: String, required: true, unique: true },
+  cohortName: { type: String, required: true },
+  program: { type: String, enum: ["Web Dev", "UX/UI", "Data Analytics", "Cybersecurity"] },
+  format: { type: String, enum: ["Full Time", "Part Time"] },
+  campus: { type: String },
+  startDate: { type: Date, default: Date.now },
+  endDate: { type: Date },
+  inProgress: { type: Boolean, default: false },
+  programManager: { type: String, required: true },
+  leadTeacher: { type: String, required: true },
+  totalHours: { type: Number, default: 360 }
+});
+
+module.exports = mongoose.model("Cohort", cohortSchema);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/models/Student.model.js b/server/models/Student.model.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c856dc66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/models/Student.model.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+const mongoose = require("mongoose");
+const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
+
+const studentSchema = new Schema({
+  firstName: { type: String, required: true },
+  lastName: { type: String, required: true },
+  email: { type: String, required: true, unique: true },
+  phone: { type: String, required: true },
+  linkedinUrl: { type: String, default: "" },
+  languages: { type: [String], enum: ["English", "Spanish", "French", "German", "Portuguese", "Dutch", "Other"] },
+  program: { type: String, enum: ["Web Dev", "UX/UI", "Data Analytics", "Cybersecurity"] },
+  background: { type: String, default: "" },
+  image: { type: String, default: "https://i.imgur.com/r8bo8u7.png" },
+  // This establishes the relationship between a student and a cohort
+  cohort: { type: Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: "Cohort" },
+  projects: { type: Array }
+});
+
+module.exports = mongoose.model("Student", studentSchema);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/package-lock.json b/server/package-lock.json
index 23e2f78a..2f3fd24a 100644
--- a/server/package-lock.json
+++ b/server/package-lock.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "cookie-parser": "^1.4.6",
+        "cors": "^2.8.6",
         "express": "^4.18.2",
         "morgan": "^1.10.0",
         "nodemon": "^3.0.1"
@@ -216,6 +217,23 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/cookie-signature/-/cookie-signature-1.0.6.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-QADzlaHc8icV8I7vbaJXJwod9HWYp8uCqf1xa4OfNu1T7JVxQIrUgOWtHdNDtPiywmFbiS12VjotIXLrKM3orQ=="
     },
+    "node_modules/cors": {
+      "version": "2.8.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/cors/-/cors-2.8.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tJtZBBHA6vjIAaF6EnIaq6laBBP9aq/Y3ouVJjEfoHbRBcHBAHYcMh/w8LDrk2PvIMMq8gmopa5D4V8RmbrxGw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "object-assign": "^4",
+        "vary": "^1"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 0.10"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "type": "opencollective",
+        "url": "https://opencollective.com/express"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/debug": {
       "version": "2.6.9",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/debug/-/debug-2.6.9.tgz",
@@ -700,6 +718,15 @@
         "node": ">=0.10.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/object-assign": {
+      "version": "4.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/object-assign/-/object-assign-4.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-rJgTQnkUnH1sFw8yT6VSU3zD3sWmu6sZhIseY8VX+GRu3P6F7Fu+JNDoXfklElbLJSnc3FUQHVe4cU5hj+BcUg==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=0.10.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/object-inspect": {
       "version": "1.12.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/object-inspect/-/object-inspect-1.12.3.tgz",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 7aa0847c..a00539d1 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@
   "description": "ExpressJS API for the Cohort Tools app",
   "main": "app.js",
   "scripts": {
-    "dev": "nodemon app.js",
-    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+  "start": "node app.js",
+  "dev": "nodemon app.js",
+  "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
   },
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@
   "homepage": "https://github.com/ironhack-labs/cohort-tools-project#readme",
   "dependencies": {
     "cookie-parser": "^1.4.6",
+    "cors": "^2.8.6",
     "express": "^4.18.2",
     "morgan": "^1.10.0",
     "nodemon": "^3.0.1"