Petroleum engineering is a field that is constantly innovating. Pupils studying this field might learn how to develop plans to drill into the ground, how to design the most efficient equipment and how to collaborate with geoscientists to gain an understanding of the earth surrounding a well.

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.