I simply can't imagine how you spent time learning about relational calculus without performing some of it. No it is not the case at most universities (I can't

I simply can't imagine how you spent time learning about relational calculus without performing some of it. No it is not the case at most universities (I can't speak for bootcamps, though I wouldn't be surprised to hear a greater variance and overall lower average in this area for them). There are always different teaching/learning styles, but everyone agrees you need to practice to learn. A course about databases without writing SQL, is like driving a car without the wheels.