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.