In Fall 2017, Houston Community College will begin offering its first Z-degree, a two-year associate’s degree with zero textbook costs. Z-degree students will use online open educational resource (OER) materials that are available at no cost.

The Kinder Foundation pledged $300,000 to the HCC Foundation to launch the college’s Z-degrees in business administration and general studies and to support faculty training in the development of online course resources materials that will replace textbooks in those two degree programs. Funding will also provide for staffing, program promotion, and other activities.

The pilot program will target approximately 75–100 college-ready students.

hccs.edu