Therefore, in addition to taking formal courses, graduate students are provided with an early opportunity to become acquainted with the various areas of ongoing research and to develop graduate projects. There is ongoing theoretical research in intense-field electrodynamics and critical phenomena. The University also offers a strong experimental high-energy nuclear physics program. In some areas of research, joint programs are operated with government research laboratories that provide students with an opportunity to enrich their experience by contact with other professional scientists. Graduate students in physics complete a series of core courses and select additional course work to round out their individual programs.
Classes are small, enabling students to work closely with faculty members and fellow students.
The current research program receives financial support from such federal agencies as the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in addition to internal funds from the University. The Bender Library and Learning Resources Center houses more than 700,000 volumes and 3,000 periodical titles as well as extensive microform collections and a nonprint media center. In addition, more than fourteen indexes in compact disc format are searchable using library microcomputers. Graduate students have unlimited borrowing privileges at six other college and university libraries in the Washington Research Library Consortium, all accessible through the online catalog. Microcomputer resources are extensive and can be used 24 hours a day at various campus locations.