Zero Cost Textbook Degree Option

The Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degree program is one of the Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives to improve teaching, learning, and accessibility for all learners at California Higher Education institutions. “Zero-textbook-cost degrees” means community college associate degrees or career technical education certificates earned entirely by completing courses that eliminate conventional textbook costs by using alternative instructional materials and methodologies, including open educational resources. 

The State has established parameters for what constitutes “zero-textbook-cost”:

• If all assigned textbooks are optional for the section.
• If all assigned textbooks are identified as Open Educational Resource (OER) textbooks. 
• If the assigned textbooks (including course readers) are available online for free (i.e., through library databases OR as check outs) AND students are not required to buy a physical copy ​(Note: for course readers and online materials, faculty are responsible for adhering to copyright and accessibility requirements).
• If there is no assigned textbook.

Other considerations:

• Lab materials or required supplies are not considered a textbook cost, so if a course section meets the parameters noted above, but require materials (e.g., goggles) or have a materials fee then the section WOULD still qualify textbook cost free per State guidelines.
• If students need to pay fees to access a software platform to do coursework or homework, this counts as a cost. The course section would NOT qualify.
• A course must be replacing a textbook with an associated cost, with zero textbook cost materials to qualify for the ZTC designation.

Below is a list of degrees offered at Madera Community College identifying the percentage of the degree that can be obtained by selecting courses that are Zero Textbook Cost. Degrees that are listed as 100% means that you can earn that degree by picking courses in the schedule that have the Zero Textbook Cost icon.