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)
POL 370 Global Energy Politics People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 370 Global Energy Politics Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 372 Introduction to Criminal Justice People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 373 Constitutional Law I People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 374 Constitutional Law II People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 378 African Politics People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 379 South East Asian Politics People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 381 West European Politics (Previous Title: European Politics and Government) People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
POL 382 Government and Politics of the Federal Republic of Germany People and Society Fall Odd Years 3/3
POL 384 Russian Politics People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 385 Politics and Society in Latin America People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 386 Democratic Consolidation and Erosion People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 387 Politics of the Middle East People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 388 Politics of Israel People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 389 Special Topics in Comparative Politics People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 390 Special Topics in American Politics People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 391 Special Topics in International Relations People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 392 International Terrorism People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 393 Special Topics in Public Administration, Policy, and Law People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 394 Special Topics in Political Theory and Methods People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 401 The Election People and Society Fall Even Years 3/3
POL 499 Special Topics People and Society By Announcement Only 1/3
POL 501 Budget and Financial Management and Administration People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 502 Politics of Civil Rights People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 503 Organizational Dynamics and Management People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 504 Biology and Politics People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 505 Contemporary Challenges to Democracy People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 506 From Plato Through Rawls People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 508 Equity and Diversity in Public Administration People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 509 Issues in Judicial Pol. People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 510 Statistics for Politics and Public Administration People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 511 Security in the Arabian Peninsula People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 512 Advanced Political Analysis People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 513 Models of Politics People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 515 Media Content Analysis People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 516 Experiments in Political Science People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 517 Introductory Statistical Methods in Political Science People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 518 Advanced Statistical Methods in Political Science People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 519 Introduction to Game Theory for Political Science People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 523 Problems in Public and Non-Profit Management People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 524 Non-Profit Organizations: Law, Policy, and Management People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 525 Comparative Public Policy and Administration People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
POL 526 Administrative Law People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 527 Comparative Political Institutions People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 528 Advanced Seminar on Electoral Behavior People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 529 U.S. Election Administration & Challenges People and Society Spring 3/3
POL 530 Intelligence and National Security Decision Making By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 530 Intelligence and National Security Decision Making People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
POL 531 Global Environmental Politics People and Society Fall 3/3
POL 532 Art and Politics in Paris People and Society Summer 3/3