The Department of Post-graduate Studies and Research in Physics was established in the year 1991 to cater to the needs of the students of Malnad region (after the separation of Kuvempu University from the University of Mysore). It initially started working from Sahyadri Science College, Shimoga Later, during January 1994, it was shifted to the University campus at Shankaraghatta. The department had started with a strength of 24 students and was offering only one specialization i.e., Nuclear Physics till 2005. Presently it offers two specializations (i) Nuclear Physics and (ii) Condensed matter Physics. The student intake has also considerably increased mandating the intake to be 45. From the academic year 2005-06, Choice based Credit System (CBCS) was introduced in the University, its main components being semester mode of teaching, offering elective papers and project work in the 4th semester. The Department also offered M.Sc, programme through distance education from 2003-04 to 2023-24.
The Department has qualified and dedicated teaching faculty along with equally enthusiastic guest faculty. The faculty members have good research exposure through post-doctoral fellowships at reputed Institutes abroad and presentation of papers at international conferences. The Department is equipped with laboratories having sophisticated instruments along with computer lab and departmental library. The department has so far produced 45 Ph.Ds, and 7 M.Phils. 16 research scholars are presently working for their Doctoral Degree. The main research area of the faculty members are Gas sensing studies, Studies on Nonlinear Optical properties of glasses, Transparent conducting electrode materials for optical studies, Studies on Glasses, Polymers and Thin films, Environmental Radioactivity and Theoretical aspects of Quantum Information Science. Several research projects are sanctioned to individual faculty members from different funding sources. The research work carried out in the department has been published in research papers of National and International repute with good impact factors. Good number of students clear the UGC/CSIR/NET/GATE examinations every year and many are continuing their research in various reputed Institutes and Universities in India and abroad. The Department is continuously striving to excel in all fronts—teaching, research, training students to pursue a career in Physics and their overall personality development.