Courses are all taught on-site by volunteers, most of them graduate students, instructors, and faculty members from San Francisco Bay Area colleges and universities.

In addition to its academic programs and support services for students, Mount Tamalpais College disseminates information on prison education to the public at large.

[13] A high school diploma or its equivalent is required to participate, but most students nevertheless begin with the College Program's non-credit preparatory courses in Mathematics and English.

Courses are student centered and culturally responsive, and Mount Tamalpais College staff assists instructors and tutors in maintaining these practices through trainings, syllabus consultation, and semester-long support.

The College Program has been cited by both instructors and student inmates,[16] as well as corrections officers,[15] as exerting a positive influence on the lives of participants and improving their chances of contributing productively to society upon their release.