The Department of Physics at Hope College is one of the leading undergraduate departments in the country. It has student-faculty research programs funded by the National Science Foundation, the Research Coporation, the Whitaker Foundation, the Pew Foundation, NASA and the Michigan Space Grant Consortium. It is often cited as a model in the preparation of scientists for graduate study.

Physics is an experimental science and it is the student-faculty research programs that set Hope apart from most schools. All of the research grants and all of the equipment grants support the education of undergraduates exclusively. Whether running experiments on campus, at national laboratories or at international laboratories, Hope's physics students are given the responsibilities and privileges of graduate experimenters.

Beginning in the introductory laboratories, the methods of experimental analysis used in research are taught. This enables our students to join in research projects with faculty members even as underclassmen. During the summer, many students receive support to work on research. By the time our students are seniors they are full collaborators with faculty members. They present papers at national meetings. They are co-authors of papers in scientific journals. The result is that, upon graduation, our students are sought out by the leading graduate colleges.