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)
REL 151 Religion and Moral Choices Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 151 Religion and Moral Choices Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 151 Religion and Moral Choices People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 159 Courses taken at other institutions with no direct equivalents Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 161 Religion and Medicine: Health Care as Spiritual Practice Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 181 Asian Religions Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 219 Courses taken at other institutions with no direct equivalent Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 231 Jewish Civilization and Intro to Judaism, Jews, and Jewishness from Abraham to Wonder Woman Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 232 A Global History of Christianity Arts and Humanities Spring 3/3
REL 232 A Global History of Christianity People and Society Spring 3/3
REL 234 Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus - An Archaeological Odyssey Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 234 Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus - An Archaeological Odyssey People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 235 African American Religion Arts and Humanities Spring 3/3
REL 235 African American Religion People and Society Spring 3/3
REL 235 African American Religion Spring 3/3
REL 236 Cults and New Religious Movements in America Arts and Humanities Spring 3/3
REL 236 Cults and New Religious Movements in America People and Society Spring 3/3
REL 238 Holy War and Toleration in Western Religious Traditions Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 238 Holy War and Toleration in Western Religious Traditions People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 239 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 240 Pilgrims, Shrines, Crusades and Saint in Spain Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 242 Religion in Revolutionary History Arts and Humanities Fall, Summer 3/3
REL 244 Sacred Space Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 244 Sacred Space People and Society Fall 3/3
REL 250 Spiritual, Not Religious: Spirituality in the 21st Century Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 252 Religion and Human Sexuality Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 252 Religion and Human Sexuality People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 253 Cognitive Science and Religion Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 253 Cognitive Science and Religion People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 255 Religion and Sports: From the Ancients to the Present Arts and Humanities Spring Even Years 3/3
REL 259 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 261 Religion, Health, and Human Suffering Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 271 Introduction to Islam Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 281 Introduction to Buddhism Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 281 Introduction to Buddhism People and Society Fall 3/3
REL 288 Chinese Religions: Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Popular Traditions Arts and Humanities Spring Odd Years 3/3
REL 291 Introduction to Hinduism Arts and Humanities Spring Odd Years 3/3
REL 301 Ancient Greece Arts and Humanities Fall Odd Years 3/3
REL 302 The Hellenistic Age Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 303 The Roman Republic Arts and Humanities Fall Even Years 3/3
REL 304 The Roman Empire Arts and Humanities Fall Even Years 3/3
REL 305 The Ancient Near East: Religion and Culture Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 307 Religion and Culture in Pre-Islamic Arabia Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 308 The Greco-Roman Context of Early Christianity Arts and Humanities Spring Odd Years 3/3
REL 311 Prophecy and Prophetic Literature in the Hebrew Bible Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
REL 312 The Torah and Ancient Law Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 312 The Torah and Ancient Law People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 314 The Rise of Judaism Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 315 Jewish Mysticism Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 319 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4