Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about VISTA, the HLHEP toolkit, accreditation, logistics, and partnerships.
Getting Started
VISTA (Voices, Imagination, Stories, and Truth in Action) is SDSU’s higher education in prison program, delivering the BA in Interdisciplinary Studies to incarcerated students at Centinela State Prison.
Incarcerated students housed at Centinela State Prison. Admission mirrors SDSU’s transfer standards, and students must meet FAFSA eligibility under the Second Chance Pell program.
Yes. Graduates receive the same accredited BA in Interdisciplinary Studies as on-campus SDSU students. The diploma does not indicate the program was completed inside a correctional facility.
Accreditation & Prison Education Program (PEP)
A federal designation that makes incarcerated students eligible for Pell Grants. SDSU-VISTA was one of the first 12 BA programs nationally to receive PEP approval.
Yes, and the HLHEP toolkit is designed to support that. Any regionally accredited institution can apply for PEP designation.
Logistics & Facility
Classes meet in dedicated classroom space at Centinela. Faculty travel to the facility, clear security, and teach in person. Classes are scheduled around facility operations.
Lockdowns suspend in-person classes. VISTA has contingency plans and make-up session protocols, and students are not penalized for absences caused by facility operations.
Faculty complete a CDCR background check and required training sessions. The clearance process typically takes 4 to 8 weeks.
Technology
No. VISTA uses an offline version of Canvas that allows students to access course materials and submit assignments without a live internet connection.
VISTA provides tablets preloaded with course materials and the offline Canvas viewer. Devices are managed by the program and remain on-site.
Student Support
Academic advising, disability services coordination, library access, writing center support, and peer tutoring, all adapted for the inside context.
Transfers are among the most disruptive events for VISTA students. The program has protocols for maintaining enrollment and credit continuity.