General Studies Z-Degree
What’s a Z-Degree?
A Z-degree is a degree that can be completed without required textbook purchases. Montgomery College is committed to offering sections of courses needed to complete certain degrees as Z-degrees.
For General Studies students, you can complete either the Humanities, Arts, Communications and Languages (HACL) General Studies degree (611A) or the Social Sciences, Administration and Health (SSAH) General Studies Degree (611B) as a Z-degree. Montgomery College is offering Z-course options for General Education requirements and Z-course options to complete transfer to UMBC and UMD-College Park in English and UMBC in psychology (Spring 2020).
What’s a Z-Course?
A Z-course is a section of a course where there is no required purchase of a textbook; in Z-courses, instructors provide textbook instructional materials electronically.
What Z-Courses Are Currently Available?
Listing of z-courses that are currently available
Program Requirements
English Foundation Requirements
Math Foundation Requirements
Art Requirements (ARTD) - One Course
Humanities Requirements (HUMD - One Course
Behavioral Social Sciences Requirements (BSSD) - Two Courses from Two Different Disciplines
Natural Sciences Requirements (NSLD and NSND) - Two NSLD OR ONE NSLD and One NSND
General Education Institutional Requirements (GEIR) - Two Courses
15 credits, five courses, at least one course at 200 level
- Any HUMD or ARTD
- Any COMM course
15 credits of Core classes, 3 credits at the 200-level
15 Credits, five courses, at least one course at 200 level
- Any BSSD listed above
- BSAD 101
- CCJS 221
- CCJS 222
- CCJS 230
- CCJS 244
- CCJS 246
- POLI 203
- POLI 221
- PSYC 202
- PSYC 224
18 credits (9 credits each from two of the cores) and 3 credits at the 200 level
- At least 15 credits at the 200 level are required to graduate, and transfer requirements vary from school to school.
- Please review the Montgomery College Catalog for degree requirements and check with your transfer institution.
English Z-Degree Transfer Options
General Studies Z-Degree English Option
HACL 611A, 2016-2017 Catalog Year
Transfer to UMBC or UMD–College Park
Academic Map for Z-Degree- Course Recommendations for Z-degree English Option
Meet with a counselor or program advisor by making an appointment in Starfish to create your individual academic plan.
| Requirement | z-Course Options | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Program | ENGL 101 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- MATF | MATH 117 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- ENGF | ENGL 102 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- ARTD (Choose 1) | ARTT 200 or GDES 116 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- HUMD | ENGL 190 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- BSSD (Choose 1) | SOCY 100, POLI 101 ECON 201, ECON 202 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- BSSD (Choose 1, from a 2nd discipline) | SOCY 100, POLI 101 ECON 201, ECON 202 | 3 |
| Gen Ed- NSLD (Choose 1) | BIOL 101, BIOL 150, CHEM 131 | 4 |
| Gen Ed- NSND (Choose 1) | BIOL 101, BIOL 150, CHEM 131 | 4 |
| Gen Ed- GEIR | HLTH 150* or COMM 108* | 3 |
| Gen Ed- GEIR (Choose 1) | SPAN 101 | 3 |
| HACL Core- Course 1 | SPAN 102 | 3 |
| HACL Core- Course 2 | SPAN 201 | 3 |
| HACL Core- Course 3 (Choose 1) | ENGL 201, ENGL 233, ENGL 226 | 3 |
| HACL Core- Course 4 (Choose 1) | ENGL 201, ENGL 233, ENGL 226 | 3 |
| HACL Core- Course 5 | ENGL 190, HIST 201, HIST 202, PHIL 101, ENGL 201, ENGL 233, ENGL 226 | 3 |
| Elective | Any Z-course | 3 |
| Elective | Any Z-course | 3 |
| Elective | Any z-course | 3 |
| Elective | Any z-course | 1 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
60 credits required to graduate from Montgomery College with a General Studies Degree.
* COMM 108 should be completed for transfer to UMD-College Park; HLTH 150 should be completed for transfer to UMBC.
Please Note:
- UMBC requires 2 credits of an activity course, for the z-degree option, HLTH 150 and 1 PHED course cover this requirement; however, those credits do not count toward graduation at UMBC. Students planning to transfer should plan to complete 62 credits of course work at MC.
- Both UMD-College Park and UMBC require completion of a world language through the Intermediate level (201); if students have completed that requirement, through placement or AP testing, students should select alternate HACL courses.
- For more information on Z-courses, visit MC Open.