Graduate Program

Overview

Tulane's graduate in chemistry offers a balance between coursework and research. During the first two semesters, in addition to starting courses, students meet with individual faculty members and select a dissertation research advisor. After the first year, emphasis shifts towards research.

Some special areas of faculty research are bio-organic, biophysical, physical inorganic, organometallic, synthetic organic, polymer material, surface chemistry, as well as crystallography, spectroscopy, quantum theory and statistical mechanics.

Completion of the Ph.D. degree has the following requirements:

- Four core courses and two additional courses
- Presentation of a literature seminar and seminar attendance
- A dissertation research prospectus
- Successful completion of six cumulative examinations
- Progress in research
- Final departmental seminar based on dissertation research
- Oral defense of the dissertation research.

The chemistry department offers programs of study leading to both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees For the M.S. degree, students are required to take three of the core courses, one additional course, and pass two cumulative exams. There is no final research seminar for the M.S. degree.

An advanced degree in chemistry can provide access to many different career possibilities. Most of the Tulane chemistry graduates either continue research with post-doctoral appointments at well-known universities or establish careers at leading chemical and pharmaceutical companies.