Laboratory courses are offered concurrently with theory courses. A trained laboratory staff and a supporting academic staff assist the academic staff to conduct these laboratory classes. The department has fifteen permanent academic staff members and several visiting lecturers who have specialized in different areas of physics and electronics.

In addition to teaching, staff members are actively involved in a number of research projects, both in physics and in electronics. Some of them are growth and characterization of semiconductor materials, fabrication of thin film solar cells, study of salt gradient solar ponds for solar energy utilization, and designing and developing of new electronic circuits for various applications.

There are several links between the department and some recognized institutes of the world in relevant fields. Thus, the Department of Physics of the University of Kelaniya has become a very strong team in teaching and research. The repair and instrumentation unit of the University of Kelaniya is also being functioned under the guidance of the Department of Physics.