Program Overview

Pacific Lutheran University Programs

The university offers a range of programs for undergraduate and graduate students.

Engineering Dual-Degree Program

The Engineering Dual-Degree Program is a 3-2 program that allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pacific Lutheran University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an engineering school.

PLU Requirements

To earn a PLU degree in the Dual-Degree Program, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• Completion of the following science and mathematics courses, paired with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics or Chemistry major:
  • MATH 151, 152, 253 (12 semester hours)
  • MATH 351 or PHYS 354 (4 semester hours)
  • PHYS 153, 154, 163, 164, 223 (14 semester hours)
  • CHEM 115, 116 (8 semester hours)
  • ENGR 131 (2 semester hours)
  • DATA 133 or CSCI 144 (4 semester hours)
• Completion of the General Education Program element requirements, except for the following general requirements that are waived for all dual-degree (3-2) students:
  • Completion of a minimum of 128 semester hours on the PLU transcript
  • Completion of a minimum of 40 semester hours from courses numbered 300 and above
  • The requirement that at least 20 of the minimum 40 semester hours of upper-division work must be taken at PLU
  • The requirement that the final 32 semester hours of a student's program be completed in residence at PLU
  • The requirement that the senior seminar/project be completed at PLU

Bachelor of Arts Degree

Students must complete a major in Physics or Chemistry.

• Major in Physics: Completion of an additional 12 semester hours of electives in science and mathematics from the following courses:
  • MATH 331, 356
  • PHYS 221, 331, 336
  • ENGR 240, 333, 334, 355
  • CHEM 341 may be substituted for ENGR 333
• Major in Chemistry: Completion of organic chemistry (CHEM 331, 332, 333, 334) and physical chemistry (CHEM 341, 342, 343)

The Engineering School Program

Students are also required to complete an ABET-accredited engineering degree before the Bachelor of Arts degree can be awarded by PLU. The specific course of study in the final phase of the program at the engineering school depends on both the school and the subdiscipline.

Academic Expectations

• Columbia University requires a cumulative PLU grade point average of 3.30 or higher, and a grade point average of 3.30 or higher in pertinent mathematics and science courses.
• Washington University requires a grade point average of 3.25, both overall and in science and mathematics courses.

Graduate Programs

The university offers various graduate programs, including:

• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
• Master of Arts – Marriage and Family Therapy (M.A.)
• Master of Arts in Education (M.A.E.)
• Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
• Master of Fine Arts – Creative Writing (M.F.A.)
• Master of Science – Kinesiology (M.S.)
• Master of Science – Marketing Analytics (M.S.)
• Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)

Undergraduate Programs

The university offers a range of undergraduate programs, including:

• Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.E.) Degree
• Preparation for Teaching in Private and/or Christian School
• Certification Options for Persons Who Hold a Baccalaureate Degree From a Regionally-Accredited Institution
• Engineering Dual-Degree Program
• Anthropology
• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Communication, Media, & Design Arts
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Economics
• Education
• English
• Earth Science & Environmental Studies
• First-Year Experience Program
• Gender, Sexuality, & Race Studies
• Global & Cultural Studies
• Global Education Opportunities
• Health Professions, College of
• History
• Holocaust & Genocide Studies
• Liberal Studies, College of
• Individualized Major
• Innovation Studies
• International Honors Program
• Kinesiology
• Mathematics
• Music, Theatre, & Dance
• Native American & Indigenous Studies
• Natural Sciences, College of
• Nursing
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Pre-Professional Studies
• Professional Studies, College of
• Psychology
• Publishing & Printing Arts
• Religion
• Sociology & Criminal Justice
• Social Work
• Statistics
• STEM Education

General Education Program

The General Education Program is designed to provide students with a broad-based education that includes courses in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

• The program requires students to complete a minimum of 44 semester hours of general education courses.
• The program includes courses in the following areas:
  • Academic Study of Religion (RL)
  • Creative Expression (CX)
  • Culminating Experience (SR)
  • Engaging the Natural World (NW)
  • Examining Self and Society (ES)
  • Exploring Values and Worldviews (VW)
  • Fitness and Wellness (FT)
  • Global Engagement (GE)
  • International Honors (H1, H2, H3)
  • Interpreting Text (IT)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (QR)