The department provides a number of research and teaching opportunities for students. Students interested in teaching can take PHYS 495 for credit, or get paid jobs as tutors or teaching lab assistants. PHYS 499H allows students to conduct independent research projects. Students interested in this course need the prior approval of a faculty member to sponsor them. The student and professor decide on the research topic and work out an appropriate set of goals.
Students can also become involved with faculty research programs.
Faculty members appreciate the effort of undergraduate students and regularly have funds available to employ students. As an example, during the past five years the high energy physics group has employed more than 50 undergraduates. The students have worked on building charged particle detectors, designing and testing electronics, and analyzing data collected from various Fermilab experiments. Students also have the opportunity to apply for a Science and Engineering Research Semester at the nearby Argonne National Laboratory, where they will participate in ongoing research projects with Argonne scientific staff members. The physics department hires several junior and senior physics majors each year as laboratory aides and as tutors.