We're actually moving away from engine building. We teach less and less every semester. The curriculum is always expanding with new technology and the contact hours are decreasing so somethings gotta go. The Advisory Committee, made up of dealership management and shop owners, keep telling us they just install long blocks and short blocks and our students don't need to know what's beyond a head gasket.
Hell, we don't even take cylinder heads apart anymore. It's nonsense.

But, there are a lot of great sources to learn about engine building choices.
Books, Moparts tech archives, some youtube, manufacturer webpages like https://uempistons.com/ magazine articles, and using the search function on this site to look up a specific topic.
It's all good.

And, college teaching the value of reading? You're giving us way too much credit.