All students are required, early in their graduate study, to take a series of graduate courses in their major area. For the PhD, the required written preliminary examinations take the form of a number of "cumulative examinations." Exceptions to this include the concentration in nuclear chemistry, which requires only a single written examination, and concentrations in inorganic chemistry, solid state chemistry or physical chemistry, which require only an oral exam. For each field there is a list of courses representing subject matter in which competence is required of those electing that field for PhD work, but the major emphasis of the PhD program is in research rather than formal courses. All degrees require a research thesis except for the Master of Science nonthesis degree. There is no departmental requirement of a foreign language. Most graduate students in chemistry are supported either as graduate teaching assistants or as graduate research assistants.

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