Research at the Physics Department of the Ferrara University ranges from Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics, Solid State Physics, Atmospheric Physics, Medical Physics to Astrophysics. These activities are performed jointly with the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF).

The high energy physics groups in Ferrara, in cooperation with the INFN Ferrara branch, develop detectors and perform data analysis in particle physics, astroparticle physics, nuclear physics. They are involved in experiments at national (Legnaro, Gran Sasso) and international labs such as CERN in Geneva, DESY, FZJ and GSI in Germany, SLAC in the USA. The theory groups are active in particle phenomenology,  astrophysics and cosmology. 

A broad range of opportunities are offered to physics students in Ferrara, ranging from diploma (B. Sc., 3 years), laurea (M. Sc., 5 years) to Ph.D. (3 years).