Stone carving students learn how to pursue a career in this field by studying the design principles behind carved design and receiving practical experience with carving. Experienced sculptors instruct and work with students to help them hone their craft.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.