Curriculum of bachelor’s degree in forensic science at Al Istiqlal University in Palestine and students’ evaluation of the model

BACKGROUND: Any science can be a forensic science (FS) if it has some justice application. Therefore, FS is an extremely interdisciplinary field at the interface of chemistry, biology, physics, medicine, law, criminology, and other related sciences. The Al Istiqlal University obtained the first and only license in Palestine to open a bachelor’s program specialized in FS, and there is a limited number of similar programs in the region, while there is growth around the world in this field. A full bachelor’s program in FS has been established at the Al Istiqlal University. This study aimed to describe the FS program model and its curricula and, in addition, evaluation of such a program from its students’ point of view. To achieve the aims of this study, a questionnaire was developed, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. The study sample consisted of all 35 male and female students enrolled in the FS program at the Al Istiqlal University for the spring semester of the academic years 2021–2022. RESULTS: After collecting and analyzing the study tool, the results showed that the students agreed on all the paragraphs of the questionnaire that encourage the specialization of FS according to the model established at the Al Istiqlal University. The overall degree of students’ evaluation of the FS program was high, and the total mean of the students’ responses for all study fields was 3.56. The total degree for determining the students’ evaluation of faculty members, students’ evaluation of curricula and contents, and students’ evaluation of academic support services came to a high degree with a means of 3.75, 3.51, and 3.42 respectively. CONCLUSION: This study recommended the importance of the Bachelor of FS Program at the Al Istiqlal University and recommended developing disseminating and raising awareness of this new scientific field. The success of the Bachelor of FS program at the Al Istiqlal University is a model for the region to follow. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41935-023-00335-4.