Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology

A future-facing faculty preparing graduates for an AI-enabled world

Hello, I’m Professor John Parkinson, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Technology (FoSST) at Arden University. I joined Arden after twenty-five years of research, teaching, and leadership in UK higher education. Throughout my career, I have been driven by a passion for understanding human behaviour and creating learning environments that help people thrive. 

My academic career has centred on behavioural science, human motivation, applied research, and public policy. Beyond academia, I am a qualified counsellor and a strong advocate for student-centred, future-focused education. These experiences have shown me how quickly society shifts — and how vital it is that education keeps pace. At Arden, we are committed to ensuring that every student encounters an AI-infused curriculum, develops the literacies needed to thrive in data-rich workplaces, and learns to apply   
technology ethically and insightfully to real-world challenges.  

Throughout the Faculty, we have a deep commitment to applied, interdisciplinary learning, preparing students for the complexities of an evolving world. Across psychology, computing and data science, criminology, law, and the social sciences, our faculty brings together disciplines that are all being reshaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change. With the university’s new investment and strategic focus on digital transformation, our mission is clear: to prepare graduates who can harness the power of AI responsibly, creatively, and confidently.  

We champion interdisciplinary thinking because the future will demand nothing less. Whatever programme you study, you will experience learning that is flexible, applied, technology-enabled, and grounded in strong academic foundations. Our goal is to not only help you succeed academically, but to ensure you graduate ready for the emerging AI-augmented professions of the future — resilient, skilled, and able to make a positive impact on society.

Welcome to the Faculty of Social Sciences & Technology. I look forward to supporting you as we build this ambitious, future-ready community together.

Dr Steve Johnston has joined Arden University in November 2025 as the new Associate Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology. Steve holds an undergraduate degree in Astrophysics and Psychology from Keele University and earned a PhD at the Centre for Applied Mathematics and Computation (CAMAC) in Coventry in 2002. After early experience developing software for a 3D scanning firm, Steve transitioned to academia, focusing on brain imaging research at Bangor University.There, he investigated the neural mechanisms of object recognition and the links between brain activity and human information processing capacity.

Following this, Steve lectured in Psychology at Brunel University before joining Swansea University in 2012 as Senior Lecturer. He became Head of School in 2019 and, in 2021, Associate Dean for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science. In this role, Steve has led the delivery of traditional and professional healthcare programmes, driven curriculum innovation, and implemented enhancement strategies informed by data-driven insights. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.