Political Science, BA

Scholar-practitioners: That’s who we are in New England College’s Bachelor of Arts in Political Science program. We bring together a community of students and faculty who recognize that politics is everywhere: it’s in everything we do and in all we hope to accomplish in our communities, states, nation, and across the globe.

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Overview

Together, we explore the constitutional, political, and public policy challenges and opportunities that face us all. You’ll develop an understanding of the history of those challenges and the arguments. Then you’ll work to develop an evidence-based approach to resolving them. Political Science makes students formidable critical thinkers, writers, speakers, and advocates on behalf of those who often cannot advocate for themselves.

To achieve this role of scholar-practitioner you will learn by doing. Your education in the classroom is preparation for applying those lessons to real world challenges. Together, we push ourselves to develop the knowledge and the skills that empower us to make a difference.

When you walk across the graduation stage, you’ll be ready and well prepared to begin your next adventure.

Program Details

Live What You Learn
- Student interns work in Congressional offices in Washington, DC. Students have also interned at the White House, and the Office of the First Lady. For those pursuing a pre-law track, students have interned in various law firms.
- Many students continue their work with issue advocacy groups such as First Budget and AARP.
- Be part of an election campaign! Our political science majors have staffed election campaigns and worked to get presidents, governors, senators, members of congress, and mayors elected.
- NEC has been described as a place where the road to the White House begins. We host town-hall events for major presidential candidates Meet the candidates. Ask them questions directly. NEC students help facilitate town halls, and a student is selected to formally introduce each and every candidate for president.
- Participate in the College Convention, held every four years. This event—organized and run by NEC students—brings together hundreds of students from a variety of educational backgrounds—from public, private, homeschool, and charter high schools to technical schools and colleges—to engage in the political process in an exciting, hands-on, and unique way. Meet presidential candidates, media personalities, and issue advocacy groups.
- With the help of student facilitators, NEC hosts debates for U.S. Senate, House, and governors’ races.
- Study abroad to learn about international politics and global affairs.
Career Opportunities
- Local, state, and national election campaign staff
- Issue Advocacy Groups: communications, policy, programs
- Policy Analyst
- Government service at the local, state, and national levels
- Media: Reporter, Researcher, Analyst
- Law school
- Graduate school

Student Involvement

Faculty

Nathan Shrader

Associate Professor of Political Science
Co-Director, Center for Civic Engagement
Phone: 603.428.2591
Email: nshrader@nec.edu

Education
B.A., Thiel College (2003)
M.S., Suffolk University (2007)
PhD, Temple University (2015)

Bio
Before arriving at New England College in July 2022, Nathan Shrader served as chair and associate professor of Government and Politics as well as director of American Studies at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. Prior to this he served successively as legislative aide and deputy director of communications to Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, legislative aide in the Virginia General Assembly, and research analyst at Abrams Learning and Information Systems under General John N. Abrams (retired). He worked from 2009 to 2014 at the Center on Regional Politics at Temple University and was an adjunct professor at Drexel and Neumann Universities. Shrader was also a freelance writer for the Philadelphia Public Record.

He earlier served as legislative intern in Washington for United States Senator Arlen Specter, legislative intern to Pennsylvania State Representative Rod E. Wilt, and as a clerk under Westmoreland County (PA) Recorder of Deeds Tom Murphy. He has also been a consultant, manager, staffer, and volunteer on scores of political campaigns at the state, local, and national levels.

Shrader appears as a regular political analyst for television, radio, online, and print media sources. He has appeared in national and international news coverage of American politics through the Washington Post, Fox News, BBC World Radio, NPR, Bloomberg, Teen Vogue, Governing, USA Today, Newsweek, Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi Today, and others. He regularly contributes on-air to network news affiliates to discuss national, state, and local politics and elections. In addition to his teaching and efforts to assist in keeping citizens informed about politics, Shrader helped to create and conduct the quarterly Millsaps College/Chism Strategies polling series that examined public opinion trends pertaining to government and politics in the state between 2017-2021 and the Millsaps College/Women’s Foundation of Mississippi Legislative Fellowship program.

Through his own unique experiences both studying and practicing the art of politics and governance, Shrader encourages his students to build bridges between the theoretical and the real-world application of political science. His main areas of scholarly interest include state and local government, political history, the presidency, political marketing, campaigns and elections, and political parties.

Shrader is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), American Political Item Collectors (APIC), founding member of the President Joseph R. Biden Collectors Association, and the International Churchill Society. He is a past member of the Common Cause Mississippi Board of Directors, president of the Mississippi Political Science Association, the Mississippi Coalition to Against Domestic Violence Board of Directors, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and Utility Workers Union of America. Shrader was also elected as a delegate to the 2022 Democratic National Convention from Mississippi’s Third Congressional District and served as Deputy Whip for the Mississippi delegation.
John Callahan

Associate Professor of International Relations
Phone: 603.428.2274
Email: jcallahan@nec.edu

Education
Ph.D. in International Studies, Old Dominion University (2015)

Bio
John Callahan has been Director of Combined Online Military Programs in International Relations and Homeland Security at New England College since 2017. From 2019 to 2022, he also served as Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. He has taught at NEC since 2010.

John received a Ph.D. in International Studies from Old Dominion University in 2015. His dissertation examined U.S. Foreign policy and Strategic Communication in Humanitarian Interventions. His chapter on the information environment was published in April 2017’s “Future of U.S. Warfare,” by Palgrave, and his first book, “Explaining Wars of Choice,” was published by Academica Press in February 2018. His research focus is on foreign policy decision making, framing, and strategic communication. John is a contributor to the UK Defense Forum’s Defense Viewpoints, focusing EU enlargement issues. He is also a Co-Convenor for the Political Science Association of the UK German Studies Group, focusing on the rise of populism in Europe.

From 2007 to 2017, John served as a consultant to the Joint Public Affairs Support Element, U.S. Transportation Command, and the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. In this role, John has worked as a strategic communications planner as well as a Joint Public Affairs and Media Trainer for all of the U.S. Regional Combatant Commands.

Dr. Callahan served as Deputy Spokesman at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, helping the Director, Ambassador John Negroponte, to communicate key messages of intelligence reform to the American people. Prior to this, John was honored to be selected by the Department of Defense and the Department of State to serve as a Public Affairs Officer at the American Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. His missions there included working as an information officer for the Iraq Commission on Public Integrity and working as a portfolio press officer at the embassy.

John is President of the International Ambassador Club, a global networking and humanitarian affairs organization.

Degree Requirements

Requirements

44 Credits

Select one course from the following:

A 4 credit internship is required. Additional credits can count towards general electives but not towards the PO major.

Select 16 credits from the following:

*An internship of 4‐12 credits is required for the Political Science major. All of those credits will count toward the 120 required for the BA, however only 4 credits will apply toward the major.

Signature Immersion Experience

Each student is asked to undertake an independent learning experience where they will immerse themselves in research and writing on a specific topic of their choosing. Faculty works with the student on topic selection and making sure they meet deliverable milestones and provide support through faculty and library staff. The student completes a writing intensive project which can be the traditional thesis or a project designed in consultation with a member of the political science faculty.

The student constructs a committee (with representatives across departments) that advises through the process. Additionally, the senior capstone seminar class involves significant feedback from fellow students. At the end of process the student does a "defense" which includes a public presentation with comments and feedback from the faculty on the committee.

Liberal Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum, Bachelor's Degree

Electives

Select additional electives to reach 120 credits for a Bachelor's degree.