Rochester Community and Technical College is excited to announce it will offer a new Liberal Arts associate Z Degree beginning in January 2026.
Z Degrees are complete two-year associate or four-year bachelor’s degree programs in which all required course materials are provided to students at no cost. These materials include open educational resources (OER), open textbooks, and library-curated materials. While these programs are not zero cost for tuition, by removing the need to purchase traditional textbooks, which can cost students hundreds or even thousands of dollars, Z Degrees significantly reduces the overall cost of college. Students also benefit from immediate access to their course materials starting on the first day of class.
With this new offering, RCTC joins eleven other Minnesota State Colleges and Universities that now provide Z Degree options for students. Statewide, Z Degrees have already saved students $12.6 million in textbook costs, according to the 2025 Z Degree Report to the Legislature.
To qualify as a Z Degree course, instructors may not require students to purchase any course resources. Optional or supplemental materials that have a cost may be recommended, but are not required. Students at institutions offering Z Degrees can use the Advanced Search function in course registration systems to locate classes with “no cost” course materials.