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Bucks County Community College

Zero Textbook Cost

Book stack in the library room and blurred bookshelf
  Academics  —  Zero Textbook Cost

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 ZTC. By selecting ZTC courses and sections, you can complete the program without ever having to purchase a textbook!

Degree Programs

  • Business
  • History
  • Technical Entrepreneurship

Certificate Programs

  • Creative Arts & Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Management
  • Social Media & Digital Marketing
Is there a list of ZTC courses?

Spring 2025 Courses

A list of courses is shared each semester. Please note that not all sections are ZTC for some courses. Check the course description in Self-Service to confirm there is no cost for textbooks.

Zero Textbook Cost Courses

  • ACCT-110 Personal Financial Planning
  • ACCT-280 Accounting Internship
  • AESL-105 Oral Communication Skills Intn'l
  • BIOL-220 Principles of Ecology
  • CISC-110 Intro to Information Systems
  • CISC-119 Programming for Engrs. & Scientists
  • CISC-128 Comparative Operating Systems
  • CISC-135 Programming for Mobile Devices
  • CISC-143 Essentials of Networking
  • CISC-201 Managing/Maintaining the PC
  • CISC-202 Network Administration
  • CISC-206 Introduction to Cybersecurity
  • CISC-213 Computer Science III (JAVA)
  • CISC-219 Programming in Python
  • CISC-234 Topics in Networking
  • CISC-245 Network Security & Troubleshooting
  • 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 Intro to Academic Writing
  • COMP-110 English Composition I
  • COMP-111 Engl Composition II
  • COMP-114 Technical Writing
  • COMT-106 Intro to Improv Performance
  • CRIJ-115 Outlaw Gangs/Organized Crime
  • CRIJ-210 Terrorism
  • CULN-101 Apprenticeship Practicum I
  • CULN-104 Apprenticeship Practicum IV
  • CULN-130 Baking & Decorating
  • CULN-156 Chocolate - Essential Skills
  • CULN-281 Culinary Internship I
  • CULN-282 Culinary Internship II
  • CULN-285 Culinary Capstone
  • DANC-110 Dance Repertoire
  • DXMS-212 Physics & Inst. in Sonography
  • DXMS-215 Clinical Exp. in Sonography II
  • EDUC-105 Found for Early Learn PreK-4
  • EDUC-120 Early Learning & Development I
  • EDUC-130 Early Develop & Learning II
  • EDUC-150 Sci & Math Exper-Young Children
  • EDUC-205 Fieldwork Observe/Assess I
  • EDUC-206 Fieldwork II, Pre-K-4
  • GEOG-110 World Geography
  • GUID-101 Intro to Guided Studies
  • GUID-250 Guided Studies Seminar
  • HIST-111 History of Western Civ I
  • HIST-112 History of Western Civ II
  • HIST-114 Global History: Modern World
  • HIST-151 U.S. History: Young America
  • HIST-152 U.S. History: Modern America
  • HIST-152H US Hist: Modern America-Honors
  • HITT-280 Health Info Tech Externship
  • HITT-285 Medical Coding/Billing Ext
  • HLTH-120N Nutrition (by Reg'd Dietitian)
  • HLTH-250 Intro to Health Coaching
  • HOSP-100 Intro to Hospitality Management
  • HOSP-210 Hospitality Internship
  • HUMN-111 Ancient World: Culture & Ideas
  • LAWS-210 Real Estate Law/Conveyancing
  • LAWS-285 Paralegal Internship
  • LITR-205 English Lit to 19th Century
  • MEDA-220 Medical Assistant Externship
  • MEDA-287 Phlebotomy Externship
  • MGMT-100 Introduction to Business
  • MGMT-102 Business Skills for Artists
  • MGMT-120 Business Mathematics
  • MGMT-135 Business Communication
  • MGMT-160 Insurance and Risk Management
  • MGMT-175 Professional Development
  • MGMT-230 Principles of Management
  • MGMT-280 Management Internship
  • MKTG-215 Principles of Marketing
  • MKTG-220 Digital Marketing
  • MKTG-230 Social Media Marketing
  • MUSC-124 Music Technology
  • MUSC-202 Music History and Analysis
  • 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
  • PHIL-125 Introduction to Philosophy
  • PSYC-110 Intro to Psychology
  • PSYC-190 Educational Psychology
  • PSYC-280 Psych of Abnormal Behavior
  • PUBS-104 Crisis Management and CIS
  • PUBS-207 Emergency Mgmt. Exercise Design
  • RADI-140 Clinical Experience II
  • RADI-220 Registry Review
  • RADI-235 Clinical Experience V
  • REAL-101 Real Estate Fundamentals
  • REAL-102 Real Estate Practice & Liability
  • SCIE-102 Astronomy
  • SCIE-103 Physical Geology
  • SCIE-104 Weather and Climate
  • SCIE-105 Intro: Environmental Science
  • SOCI-110 Intro to Sociology
  • SOCI-110H Intro to Sociology - Honors
  • SOCI-140 Peoples of America
  • SOCI-160 Marriage & the Family
  • SOCI-230 Contemporary Social Problems
  • SPMT-280 Sports Management Internship
  • SSWK-215 Loss and Grief
  • VACV-130 Media Scriptwriting
  • VACV-137 Sound Design: Film & Video
  • VACV-140 Digital Video Editing
  • VACV-142 Art of Theatrical Cinema
  • VACV-145 Videography
  • VACV-238 Cinematography
  • VAFA-101 2D Design Fundamentals
  • VAFA-102 3D Design Fundamentals
  • VAFA-107 Intro: Jewelry/Metalsmithing
  • VAFA-141 Introduction to Sculpture
  • VAFA-161 Screenprinting
  • VAFA-171 Introduction to Painting
  • VAFA-181 Introduction to Ceramics
  • VAFA-246 Sculpture Foundry
  • VAFA-250 Fine Arts/Design Portfolio
  • VAFW-100 Fine Woodworking Fundamentals
  • VAFW-138 Table Systems
  • VAFW-180 Woodturning
  • VAGD-101 Layout and Typography
  • VAGD-102 Illustration: Drawing/Digital
  • VAMM-130 3D Modeling Concepts
  • VAMM-140 AI Image Generation for Digit
  • VAMM-250 Digital Arts Portfolio Studio
  • VAPH-110 Digital Photo Fundamentals
  • VAPH-151 Darkroom Photography I
  • VAPH-210 Digital Photo II
  • VAPH-211 Studio & Lighting Fundamentals
  • VAPH-257 Large Format Photography

 

How do I know if a course is ZTC?

In Self-Service, you can filter courses by "No Textbook Purchase Req". Also, within the section details for a course, notes for no cost materials will be displayed for Additional Information.

  • Select "Show Filters"
  • Navigate to "Course Types"
  • Check "No Texbtook Purchase Req"

Filter

Course Types checkbox

 

 

Additional Information

Instructional steps

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!

  • Faculty OER Guide

Get in Touch

ztc@bucks.edu

Get in Touch

ztc@bucks.edu
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275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940
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1304 Veterans Highway Bristol, PA 19007
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One Hillendale Rd, Perkasie, PA 18944
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