As part of its ongoing mission to reduce the financial strains of higher education, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) has expanded its Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) program to include its undergraduate Online Business degree programs.
Beginning with the 2026 Winter Session, both the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Applied Management and Entrepreneurship (BPS-AME) and the Bachelor of Science in Business (BS in Business) will be “Z Degrees,” enabling students to complete these programs without purchasing any textbooks.
According to Online Business Programs Academic Director Dr. Tara Lanni, undergraduate business students will save an average of slightly over $160 per course.
“Converting the BPS-AME and BS in Business programs to Z Degrees is a major milestone that reflects our commitment to access, affordability, and academic excellence,” said Dr. Lanni. “By leveraging high-quality OERs [Open Educational Resources, which are used in place of textbooks], we are removing financial barriers and empowering students to succeed from day one.”
Dr. Lanni also acknowledged the hard work that went into the conversion to textbook-free courses. “I am very thankful for the dedication of our faculty and staff in embracing this important initiative, and I greatly appreciate the support provided by CUNY and the New York State OER Initiative in making it possible.”
Hillary Stackpole, a student in the BPS in Applied Management and Entrepreneurship program, reflected on these new cost-saving opportunities and the benefits they offer. “Without having to purchase costly textbooks, I won’t add to my credit card debt,” she said.
“I believe the most significant impact the ZTC program will have on my path to degree completion is the ability to retain the required reading material for future reference,” Stackpole added. “Renting a digital or physical textbook gives a student limited-time use. Being able to download and save the material for future reference will be a great help in applying knowledge from one course to another, especially since I take one class at a time.”
Earlier this semester, student savings at CUNY SPS reached a major milestone due to its OER and ZTC programs.
“Since our OER launch in 2017, we have remained focused on expanding our OER course offerings, and I’m delighted that the OER initiative has achieved $4.8 million in savings for students since the program’s inception,” said Dr. Jennifer Sparrow, Interim Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. “Now that we’ve added these 2 business degree programs to our Z Degree roster, CUNY SPS offers a total of 6 bachelor’s degrees that use no-cost, openly available educational materials. This program expansion guarantees that the savings passed on to students will continue to grow, and I’m grateful to Dr. Lanni and the Business program faculty for making it happen.”
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.
Press Contact
Prerna Dar
CUNY SPS Chief Marketing Officer
Prerna.dar@cuny.edu