Engineering Physics Program | University of the Pacific

Discover Engineering Physics

Engineering physics is a cross-functional major that bridges the gap between applied science and practical engineering. It's both experimental and theoretical as it emphasizes research and development while also focusing on the design and analysis of complex problems.

At Pacific, the engineering physics curriculum combines depth in mathematics and physics beyond other engineering majors, which prepares students for success in all technical fields. Working alongside faculty advisors, students personalize their study plans to fit their academic and career goals.

All engineering physics students complete a senior design project, which provides an opportunity to apply engineering fundamentals and design methods to the solution of a real-world problem. Example projects include:

a solar-powered boat
a three-foot-tall tour-guide robot
a magnetic levitation system
an autonomous algae detection drone
a remote power wind station.

The Engineering Physics (B.S.) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Criteria for Engineering, General Engineering, Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

INTERNSHIP DIARIES

What’s it like to intern at NASA?

Engineering Physics major Mark Castaneda ’25 got to live out his dream internship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center as a research assistant. He tells us what a typical day interning at NASA was like for him, how he made his resume stand out (hint: it involves a cool Pacific engineering physics project), and his advice to students for persevering through hardship.

Learn more about Mark’s NASA internship

Class of 2019

Zech Miller

"The reason I chose engineering physics was so I could understand things like the stars and atoms and how we learned all of those things and how we shaped our earth with that knowledge."

Multidisciplinary education

The engineering physics curriculum educates students to work in areas where technology is changing rapidly and where the boundaries of several traditional engineering disciplines overlap. Example areas of multidisciplinary fields in need of engineering physicists include:

Robotics
Mechatronics
Micromachines
Lasers
Medical imaging and instrumentation
Electronic materials
Nanostructures
Superconductivity
Optics
Quantum electronics
Plasmas

Earn while you learn

As part of the engineering physics program, students complete a two academic term, paid CO-OP working in industry and earn an average of $3,700 a month. These professional experiences are crucial in giving students a competitive edge in the engineering job market after graduation.

Blended MSE option

Students enrolled in the engineering physics program can work with their academic advisors to start taking graduate courses as they complete undergraduate degree requirements. Please contact Dr. Vivek Pallipuram for more information about the blended program and for an application.

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics

Master of Science in Engineering

Curriculum Info

Engineering Physics Major Requirements

Curriculum Overview

Engineering Physics Program Educational Objectives

Through their careers in engineering or related profession, Pacific graduates are expected to demonstrate the following within a few years of earning their Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics:

Competency in an engineering or science profession via promotion to positions of increasing responsibility, publications, and/or conference presentations
Adaptability to new developments in science and technology by successfully completing or pursuing graduate education in engineering or related fields, participating in professional development and/or industrial training courses, or pursuing professional licensure.

Engineering Physics Student Outcomes

Upon graduation, graduates will have:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Engineering Physics Undergraduate Enrollment and Degrees Awarded

Academic Year	Enrollment (fall census)	Awarded Degrees
2023-2024	9	--
2022-2023	6	2
2021-2022	10	3
2020-2021	14	3
2019-2020	17	2
2018-2019	21	2

Engineering and Computer Science Scholarship Application Instructions

How to Apply

Visit https://pacific.academicworks.com
Sign in using your Pacific Net ID and Password
Complete the General Application
Complete the Conditional SOECS Application
Choose "Apply" for any recommended scholarship opportunities based on your responses and academic profile. Please read the scholarship criteria carefully to confirm that you are qualified BEFORE you apply.
You will need to upload an unofficial transcript.

Any Engineering or Computer Science Major

Name of Scholarship	Qualification Criteria
Maryam H. Dashti Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based; first preference for a student from Kuwait; second preference for a student from Gulf States Region; third preference for international student
B.G. Glenn A Goddard Veteran's Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, currently serving in a military reserve program, honorably discharged veteran or participant in ROTC program.
Robert L. Heyborne Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, full-time undergraduate student, minimum 3.0 GPA, Junior/Senior standing preferred
George and Sue Schroeder Endowed Scholarship	Undergraduate School of Engineering & Computer Science student, Minimum 3.2 GPA
Paul M. Sensibaugh Engineering Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, preference for students who have graduated or transferred from San Joaquin County Schools
Louise Stark Endowed Scholarship for Women Engineers	Need-Based, Undergraduate Female, Good Academic Standing, minimum 2.5 GPA

Any Engineering Major

Name of Scholarship	Qualification Criteria
Hamma Fund Scholar (administered by Dean's Office)	Merit-Based, last two semesters of Undergrad Program with the goal of enrolling in Master's Program at Pacific, Member of Tau Beta Pi (Award covers 1 fiscal year of graduate school, including books)
Minority Engineering Endowed Scholarship	Need-Based, Preference for African American or other underrepresented ethnicities
Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. Endowed Scholarship	Need-Based, full-time Engineering major, minimum of 3.0 GPA