Undergraduate Psychology Student from rural Texas, western South Dakota, or eastern Wyoming who are graduating between May 2025 and May 2027
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Only a total of 30 ambassadors are chosen each cohort.
Application Deadline June 1st, 2026
What is it?
The North Texas Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Rural Online Cohort is a summer enrichment program for undergraduate psychology students from rural Texas, western South Dakota, or eastern Wyoming who are graduating between May 2025 and May 2027. The program provides a paid, six-week immersive experience focused on professional development, near-peer mentorship, and leadership training.
The Rural Online Cohort brings HCOP programming directly to undergraduate psychology students in communities where behavioral health workforce shortages are most severe and where traveling to an in-person program is not feasible. All programming is delivered fully online. The program runs for six weeks between June and July with commitment of approximately 30 hours per week. In total, participants will complete 180 hours of structured programming.
Who is Eligible?
- Psychology majors graduating between May 2025 and May 2027 who are from rural Texas, western Sough Dakota, or eastern Wyoming.
- A US citizen and/or an individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the US, or any other “qualified alien” under section 431(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-193 (individuals on temporary or student visas are NOT eligible).
- Preference will be given to student who are from an “economically or educationally disadvantaged” background as defined by the HRSA for those who meet two or more of the following criteria:
- Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree.
- Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
- Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families.
- Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years.
- Family of origin received public assistance (e.g., food stamps, housing assistance, heating assistance, etc.)
- Family of origin was/is a low-income family/household (i.e., income no more than 200% of poverty level as defined by the Federal register:
| Persons in family/household | Income Level |
|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 |
| 2 | $43,280 |
| 3 | $54,640 |
| 4 | $66,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 |
| 6 | $88,720 |
| 7 | $100,080 |
| 8 | $111,440 |
For families with more than 8 persons, add $11,360 for each additional person.
Curriculum Topics
The Rural Online Cohort curriculum provides specialized training in behavioral health, focusing on building foundational knowledge and skills. The program covers key topics including:
- Population Health: Understanding how social, economic, and environmental factors affect health outcomes.
- Online Psychology Workshops: Tailored instruction and resources to cover core areas of psychology
- Mental Health First Aid: Training to identify and respond to mental health crises effectively.
- Research: Gain experience fostering scholarly skills, and promoting collaborative learning.
Program Benefits
- Academic and Career Advising: Personalized support for career pathway development.
- Near-Peer Mentorship: Receive mentoring and career guidance from a current doctoral student.
- Research Collaboration: Work alongside doctoral students on an original research project that culminates in an online poster session (which can be added to you CV). Research schedules are coordinated collaboratively with the doctoral student mentors for ease of scheduling, but daily participation is required.
- Build Foundational Knowledge: Participate in a series of live, online workshops to build foundational knowledge across core content areas of psychology to prepare for further education and careers in behavioral health. Workshops are offered on varied days and times to accommodate a range of scheduling needs.
- Mental Health First Aid Certification: Gain certification in Mental Health First Aid to enhance your skills in identifying and responding to mental health challenges.
- Flexible, Self-Paced Learning: Select from a menu of on-demand trainings on population health, including the factors driving behavioral health workforce shortages in rural communities.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, faculty, and healthcare professionals to build your professional network and explore behavioral health career opportunities.
- Financial Support: Participants receive a stipend to offset the cost of living.
Program Structure
Programming for the Rural Online Cohort is delivered fully online.
Have Questions?
Check out our FAQs and email us if you have additional questions at UNT-HCOP@unt.edu