Using PHP for anything is not an indictment in my opinion, but making it the focus of an _engineering class_ is, imo. My point of view is that formal education should be for things you would have a difficult time learning on your own, and I don't see writing a Wordpress app as something you can't learn on your own. The only reason to take such a class is to boost your average, which is fine, but you're not expanding your way of thinking at all.

Anyway I completely agree that physics and chemistry should not be heavy requirements like that.