What are Open Educational Resources (OERs)?
Free, openly licensed materials that faculty use in place of or in addition to traditional textbooks. OERs come in a range of materials including full length books, videos, tutorials, and more. Faculty who utilize these materials select high quality content that reflects the needs of their students and course learning objectives. Faculty may also choose to customize the OER they use in their courses.
Most OERs are digital resources that are available immediately and accessible anytime online. Since access is open, students may retain these resources after the class concludes.
What are Low-Cost or No-Cost Courses?
Low-Cost courses have textbook costs under $40 and No-Cost courses do not have any required textbook costs. Course fees are not included in these calculations, so there may be additional costs beyond textbooks.
No-Cost courses may utilize OER, library resources, and/or other free resources.
How to Search for Courses with Low-Cost/No-Cost Textbooks
A-Z Programs and Degrees
SCC offers A-Z (Affordable/Low to Zero/No Cost Learning Materials) programs and degrees. This means that all required courses within a program or degree pathway have textbook costs under $40 per class. Please refer to the class schedule for the most current course information.
Low/No Textbook Cost Programs
| Program Title | Courses | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Science * | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Dance | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
*Please note the low-cost designation for this program means that the average cost of all EXS course textbooks are less than $40 per class.
Low/No Textbook Cost Degree Pathways
| Degree or Certificate Title | Type | Courses | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate in Arts | AA | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Anthropology | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Fine Arts, Emphasis in Dance | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Economics | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in English (Creative Writing) | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Law and Policy | AA | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Political Science | AA | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
| Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Sociology | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Associate in Science, Emphasis in Astronomy | AS | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Cannabis Business Fundamentals | Certificate | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
| Dance Performance and Technology | AA | Pathway Map | Low-Cost |
| Interior Design Technology | Certificate | Pathway Map | No-Cost |
| Security Industry Essentials: Pre-licensure | Certificate | Pathway Map | No-Cost |