I don't see the problem here. Of course, I'm coming from engineering where deciding to major in X-type of engineering pretty well sets the curriculum anyway. Class choices are things like "choose two of these five technical electives" and "choose one of these N humanities sequences. Complete all three classes in it." The entire rest of the curriculum is set and people who deviate do so at their extreme peril.
This is my experience as well. In my undergrad, we were only able to count 6 elective credits and 9 technical elective credits to the BS. All the rest of the courses were predetermined.
You did better than me. In my BS, my only non-technical elective the entire 4 years was freshman physics. The rest of the curriculum was set in concrete.
How did they justify saying that physics isn't a technical elective?
Because the content and concepts of physics are not vital to becoming competent in the particular field of study - which was one of the allied health professions. Biology, chemistry and mathematics are needed across the curriculum, but once you are done with physics, it never comes up again. Ergo an elective that is unrelated to the technical aspects of the rest of the curriculum.
Interesting logic. Hey, kids! Take physics! It's a non-technical elective and the right choice.
