Millicent Washburn Shinn

Contributions and Distinctions

First woman to earn a doctorate from University of California,  Berkeley in 1898. Foundational researcher in the field of child development and psychology. 

Biographical Sketch  

Millicent Washburn Shinn (1858-1940) was a pioneering scholar in education and early childhood psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1880 with a degree focused in literature, philosophy, history, and the sciences, specializing in education and early childhood development. Following her graduation, she became editor of the monthly literary and cultural magazine The Overland Monthly from 1883-1894. She completed her Ph.D in education in 1898 making her the first woman to earn a doctorate from the University.  

Shinn’s doctorate marked a significant milestone in the university’s development and in the broader inclusion of women in higher education. Shinn’s scholarly work focused on child development and psychology, and she is recognized as an early contributor to the systematic study of childhood learning and behavior. Her academic success helped establish the University of California, Berkeley as a site where women could pursue advanced research and professional scholarship. By earning the first Ph.D. awarded to a woman at the University, Shinn set an important precedent that expanded opportunities for women scholars and shaped the university’s evolving academic and institutional culture.