Minty is a doctoral student in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford. Her research interests centre on higher education, credentialism, graduate employability, and the evolving relationship between universities and the labour market.
Her undergraduate dissertation examined Chinese undergraduate students’ motivations for continuing to pursue master’s degrees, evaluating the applicability of credentialism theory. Building on this foundation, her master’s dissertation explored how Chinese graduates from elite universities perceive the meaning of their academic credentials. It investigated whether these graduates view their credentials as stepping stones that enhance job opportunities or as constraints that limit them to roles matching their educational backgrounds. The study also examined external influences, including various expectations and structural constraints on their career choices, as well as their self-agency and adjustment in response to these influences.
For her doctoral research, Minty aims to extend this inquiry by exploring how graduates from elite universities adjust their identity formation in the workplace, how employers perceive elite credentials, and whether an educational ceiling exists in employment.
Prior to her DPhil, Minty completed an MSc in Education (Higher Education) with Distinction at the University of Oxford and a BA in Education Studies with First Class Honours at University College London.