[b_t_s]

"curricula is nowhere near as rigorous as required for engineering" this depends on the degree. For a BA that's true, for a BS less so. For a BS, the first 2 years of math and science were virtually identical for all engineering/science/CS student at my uni. That included calc1-3, plus 1-2 semesters each of the "real" physics/bio/chem classes for sicence/engineering students. After that it got a lot more specialized though we still had to take some 400 level maths with the math majors. He was just trying to say "Look I know most people who write to you can't do rudimentary physics calculations, but I most certainly can"