A free alternative to textbooks

Bucks County Community College offers over 140 courses with Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) sections. What does this mean for students? You get free access to course materials like textbooks and workbooks.

How it works

Many instructors teaching ZTC courses use Open Educational Resources (OER) for their classes.

What are OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are free resources for teaching, learning, and research. Materials are copyright-free or licensed for reuse, revision, remixing, redistribution, and can be kept.

Are there specific programs at Bucks that offer ZTC?

Yes! We currently have three degree programs and four certificate programs that include courses with ZTC. By reviewing course syllabi materials section and selecting ZTC courses and sections in your advising and course registration process, you can complete these programs without ever having to purchase a textbook:

Degree Programs

  • Business
  • Fine Arts (both tracks)
  • General Studies
  • Guided Studies
  • History
  • Liberal Arts

Certificate Programs

  • Creative Arts & Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Furniture & Cabinet Making
  • General Education
  • General Education - Business
  • Health Coach
  • Holocaust & Genocide Studies
  • Management
  • Social Media & Digital Marketing
Is there a list of ZTC courses?

A sample list of courses is available; however, please check the current course description to confirm there is no cost for textbooks.

  • ACCT 110 - Personal Financial Planning
  • ACCT 280 - Accounting Internship
  • AESL 105 - Oral Comm Skills International
  • BIOL 220 - Principles of Ecology
  • BRFS 101 - Introduction to Brewing Science
  • CHEM 100 - Preparatory Chemistry
  • CHEM 101 - Chemistry A
  • CHEM 121 - Chemistry I
  • CHEM 122 - Chemistry II
  • CHEM 221 - Organic Chemistry I
  • CISC 110 - Intro to Information Systems
  • CISC 119 - Programming for Engineers and Scientists
  • CISC 135 - Programming for Mobile Devices
  • CISC 206 - Intro to Cybersecurity
  • CISC 213 - Computer Science III (JAVA)
  • COLL 101 - Orientation to College
  • COLL 105 - Strategic Learning Seminar
  • COLL 115 - Academic Success Seminar
  • COMM 105 - Interpersonal Communication
  • COMM 110 - Effective Speaking
  • COMP 107 - Introduction to Academic Writing
  • COMP 110 - English Composition I
  • COMP 110H - English Composition I - Honors
  • COMP 111 - English Composition II
  • COMP 114 - Technical Writing
  • COMT 106 - Introduction to Improvisation
  • CRIJ 115 - Outlaw Gangs and Organized Crime
  • CULN 130 - Baking and Decorating
  • CULN 151 - Bread Fabrication - Basic
  • CULN 158 - Cookies
  • CULN 281 - Culinary Internship I
  • CULN 282 - Culinary Internship II
  • DANC 110 - Dance Repertoire
  • ECON 111 - Principles of Economics: Macro
  • ECON 112 - Principles of Economics: Micro
  • EDUC 105 - Foundations for Early Learning: PreK-4
  • EDUC 120 - Early Learning and Dev I: Ages Birth - 5
  • EDUC 130 - Early Learning and Deve II: Ages 6 - 11
  • EDUC 150 - Sci and Math Exp for Young Children
  • EDUC 205 - Fieldwork: I (Education/Autism Emphasis)
  • EDUC 206 - Fieldwork II, Pre K-4
  • EDUC 220 - Practicum in Education
  • GEOG 110 - World Geography
  • GUID 101 - Intro to Guided Studies
  • GUID 250 - Guided Studies Seminar
  • HIST 111 - History of Western Civilization I
  • HIST 112 - History of Western Civilization II
  • HIST 113 - Global History: Ancient and Medieval
  • HIST 151 - U.S. History: Young America - Honors
  • HIST 151 - U.S. History: Young America
  • HIST 152 - U.S. History: Modern America
  • HLTH 120N - Nutrition (Reg’ Dietitian)
  • HLTH 250 - Introduction to Health Coaching
  • HOSP 111 - Conference & Meeting Planning
  • HOSP 210 - Hospitality Internship
  • KINS 116 - Competitive Activities
  • KINS 129 - Tai Chi Chuan
  • KINS 150 - Beginning Aquatics
  • LITR 277 - Intro to Short Fiction
  • MGMT 100 - Intro to Business
  • MGMT 110 - Small Business Management
  • MGMT 120 - Business Mathematics
  • MGMT 130 - Business Law
  • MGMT 135 - Business Communication
  • MGMT 155 - Intro to Entrepreneurship
  • MGMT 160 - Insurance and Risk Management
  • MGMT 230 - Principles of Management
  • MGMT 280 - Management Internship
  • MKTG 215 - Principles of Marketing
  • MKTG 220 - Digital Marketing
  • MKTG 230 - Social Media Marketing
  • MKTG 280 - Marketing Internship
  • MUSC 117 - Musicianship I
  • MUSC 118 - Musicianship II
  • MUSC 124 - Music Technology
  • MUSC 201 - Musical Styles and Lite: Before 1750
  • MUSE 101 - Concert Choir
  • MUSE 115 - Cover Band
  • MUSE 140 - Percussion Ensemble
  • MUSE 201 - Madrigal Singers
  • MUSL 100 - Preparatory Lessons
  • MUSL 101 - Secondary Lessons, Level 1
  • MUSL 110 - Performance Class
  • MUSL 111 - Principal Lesson I
  • MUSL 112 - Principal Lesson II
  • MUSL 211 - Principal Lesson III
  • MUSL 212 - Principal Lesson IV
  • PHIL 111 - Ethics
  • POLI 120 - American State and Local Government
  • PSYC 105 - Intro Group Dynamics
  • PSYC 110 - Intro to Psychology
  • PSYC 190 - Educational Psychology
  • PSYC 280 - Psychology of Abnormal Behavior
  • PUBS 206 - Business Continuity Management
  • READ 110 - College Read and Study Strategies
  • REAL 101 - Real Estate Fundamentals
  • REAL 102 - Real Estate Practice and Liability
  • SCIE 102 - Astronomy
  • SCIE 103 - Physical Geology
  • SCIE 104 - Weather and Climate
  • SCIE 105 - Intro to Environmental Science
  • SOCI 110 - Intro to Sociology
  • SOCI 120 - Intro to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOCI 140 - Peoples of America
  • SPMT 280 - Cooperative Education: Sport Mgmt.
  • VACV 130 - Media Scriptwriting
  • VACV 137 - Sound Design for Film and Video
  • VACV 140 - Digital Video Editing
  • VACV 141 - The Art of Independent Cinema
  • VACV 145 - Videography
  • VAFA 100 - Drawing I
  • VAFA 101 - 2-D Design Fundamentals
  • VAFA 102 - 3-D Design Fundamentals
  • VAFA 103 - Drawing II
  • VAFA 104 - 2-D Design Color
  • VAFA 105 - 3-D Design Materials/Modeling
  • VAFA 160 - Intro to Printmaking
  • VAFA 171 - Intro to Painting
  • VAFA 193 - History of Modern Art
  • VAFA 202 - Figure Drawing
  • VAFA 246 - Sculpture Foundry
  • VAFA 250 - Fine Arts & Design Portfolio Studio
  • VAFA 282 - Ceramics II
  • VAFW 100 - Fine Woodworking Fundamentals
  • VAFW 136 - Bending and Veneering
  • VAFW 140 - Cabinetmaking
  • VAFW 200 - Special Topics in Woodworking
  • VAGD 201 - Graphic Design
  • VAMM 130 - 3-D Modeling Concepts
  • VAMM 250 - Digital Arts Portfolio Studio
  • VAPH 110 - Digital Photography Fundamentals
  • VAPH 151 - Darkroom Photography I
  • VAPH 157 - Photo II
  • VAPH 196 - History of Photography

The ZTC Initiative at Bucks began in 2016 when funding was received from the College and the College Foundation to allow faculty members to redesign courses to include OER. Since then, more than 30 courses have been redesigned as part of the formal initiative, and many other faculty have adopted OER to make their course sections ZTC. Today sections of nearly 150 courses are ZTC, and the total potential cost savings to students is now in the millions of dollars!