Individualized Cognate Courses


If you have questions regarding cognates or courses eligible to be used in individualized cognates, please log in to Navigate to schedule time to speak with your academic advisor.

Beginning in Fall 2021, UM students can fulfill the Areas of Knowledge general education requirement by creating an individualized cognate. Only courses (UM as well as transfer courses) with an Area of Knowledge course attribute in CaneLink can be used in an individualized cognate. All three courses in an individualized cognate must have the appropriate Area of Knowledge course attribute. Courses used in an individualized cognate cannot be double counted toward any other degree requirement. An individualized cognate must be a minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours). Individualized cognates use the following academic plan codes: AT_0080 (Arts & Humanities), PS_0070 (People & Society), and ST_0026 (STEM). For information on thematic cognates, use the cognate search engine.

Below is a searchable list of current courses that can be used in an individualized cognate.

NOTE: The course a student takes to fulfill the quantitative skills proficiency requirement cannot be double counted by including it in an individualized cognate. Also courses with a grade of CR (except for test credits that are accepted with a UM equivalency from AP, IB, GCE, Cambridge Pre-U, CAPE, and CLEP programs) cannot be used to fulfill general education or other degree requirements like individualized cognates.

The courses below are currently effective for the: Spring 2026 Term

Subject Course No. Course Title Area of Knowledge Designation Typically Offered Credits (Min/Max)
PHI 560 History of Logic Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 562 History of Ethics Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 570 Presocratics and Plato Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 571 Aristotle and Hellenistic Philosophy Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 572 Medieval Philosophy Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 573 Early Modern Philosophy Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 575 Kant Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 581 Pragmatism Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 582 History of Analytic Philosophy Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHI 583 The Phenomenological Tradition Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 101 College Physics I STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 4/4
PHY 102 College Physics II STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 4/4
PHY 103 General Physics STEM Spring 3/3
PHY 106 Physics Laboratory 1 STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 1/1
PHY 108 Physics Laboratory 2 STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 1/1
PHY 110 Descriptive Astronomy STEM Spring 3/3
PHY 160 Physics of the Arts STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 201 University Physics I for the Sciences STEM Fall, Spring 4/4
PHY 202 University Physics II for the Sciences STEM Fall, Spring 4/4
PHY 211 University Physics I for PRISM STEM Fall 4/4
PHY 212 University Physics II for PRISM STEM Spring 4/4
PHY 221 University Physics I STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
PHY 222 University Physics II STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
PHY 223 University Physics III STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
PHY 224 University Physics II Lab STEM By Announcement Only 1/1
PHY 225 University Physics III Lab STEM By Announcement Only 1/1
PHY 230 Honors University Physics II-III STEM By Announcement Only 6/6
PHY 295 Transfer Credits STEM Fall, Spring, Summer 1/5
PHY 306 Intermediate Laboratory STEM Spring 1/1
PHY 315 Mathematical Tools for Physics STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 321 Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory STEM Spring 3/3
PHY 325 Biological Physics I STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 340 Classical Mechanics I STEM Spring 3/3
PHY 350 Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism STEM Fall 3/3
PHY 351 Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism II STEM Spring 3/3
PHY 360 Introduction to Modern Physics STEM Fall 3/3
PHY 362 Modern Physics Honors Seminar STEM Fall 1/1
PHY 506 Advanced Laboratory STEM Spring 1/2
PHY 513 Mathematical Techniques in Physics STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 516 Special Topics in Physics STEM By Announcement Only 1/3
PHY 517 Special Topics in Physics STEM By Announcement Only 1/3
PHY 518 Special Topics in Astrophysics STEM By Announcement Only 1/3
PHY 522 Solid State Physics STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 530 Plasma Physics I STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 540 Classical Mechanics II STEM Fall 3/3
PHY 545 Introduction to Astrophysics By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 545 Introduction to Astrophysics STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
PHY 552 Optical Physics STEM By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 201 Introduction to American National Government People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 202 Introduction to Comparative Politics People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3