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: Fall 2026 Term

Subject Course No. Course Title Area of Knowledge Designation Typically Offered Credits (Min/Max)
REL 250 Spiritual, Not Religious: Spirituality in the 21st Century Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 252 Religion and Human Sexuality Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 252 Religion and Human Sexuality People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 253 Cognitive Science and Religion Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 253 Cognitive Science and Religion People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 255 Religion and Sports: From the Ancients to the Present Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 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, Spring 3/3
REL 271 Introduction to Islam Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 281 Introduction to Buddhism Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 281 Introduction to Buddhism People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 288 Chinese Religions: Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Popular Traditions Arts and Humanities Spring Odd Years 3/3
REL 288 Chinese Religions: Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Popular Traditions People and Society Spring Odd Years 3/3
REL 291 Introduction to Hinduism Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 301 Ancient Greece Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 302 The Hellenistic Age Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 303 The Roman Republic Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 304 The Roman Empire Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 305 The Ancient Near East: Religion and Culture Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 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 Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 311 Prophecy and Prophetic Literature in the Hebrew Bible Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 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
REL 321 Jesus and the Gospels Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 322 The Apostle Paul: Letters, Controversies, and Philosophy Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 324 The Bible and Modern Film Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
REL 324 The Bible and Modern Film People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
REL 325 Jesus in Myth and History Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 325 Jesus in Myth and History People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 326 The Bible in History Arts and Humanities Fall Odd Years 3/3
REL 330 Caribbean Religion Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 330 Caribbean Religion People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 331 Religions of Asia Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 332 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 334 The American Jewish Experience: Hollywood and Popular Culture Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 335 American Religion in Modern Film Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 335 American Religion in Modern Film People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 338 Latin American and U.S. Latino/a Religion Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 338 Latin American and U.S. Latino/a Religion People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 339 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 341 Modern Religious Thought I Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 342 Modern Religious Thought II Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 343 Saints and Sinners: Introduction to Catholicism Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 343 Saints and Sinners: Introduction to Catholicism People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 345 Religion and Gender Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
REL 345 Religion and Gender People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3