Neuroscience examines the bidirectional relations between the nervous system and behavior and includes perspectives from biology, psychology, chemistry, and philosophy. As an inherently interdisciplinary field, neuroscience applies various methodologies to study the molecular, cellular, developmental, evolutionary, structural, functional, computational, and pathophysiological aspects of the nervous system. The neuroscience curriculum at Bates is structured so that students appreciate how multiple levels of analysis are needed to understand the complexities of human and non-human animal behavior, from the cellular and molecular level to the cognitive level.

The neuroscience program fosters an active, learning-by-doing approach, as students conduct meaningful and innovative research at several points in their academic career, beginning in laboratory sections as supplementation to classroom learning and culminating with rigorous, independent research during the senior thesis.