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 375 Democracy and Religion in Israel and Palestine Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 375 Democracy and Religion in Israel and Palestine People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 377 Sufism: Islamic Mysticism Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 378 Religion and Civic Engagement Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 378 Religion and Civic Engagement People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 380 Holy Bones, Sacred Stones: Archaeology of Early Judaism Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 380 Holy Bones, Sacred Stones: Archaeology of Early Judaism People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 383 Buddhist Ethics and Social Justice Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 383 Buddhist Ethics and Social Justice People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 384 Karma Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 388 Story, Society, and Nationalism in Asian Religions: Living Narratives Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 391 Bollywood and Beyond: Religion, Gender and Politics in South Asian Film Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 391 Bollywood and Beyond: Religion, Gender and Politics in South Asian Film People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 399 Method and Theory in the Study of Religion Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
REL 404 Special Topics in Religious Literature or Texts Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 405 Special Topics in Religious or Historical Traditions Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 406 Special Topics in Religious Issues or Problems Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 419 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 439 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 450 Psychology of Religion Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 450 Psychology of Religion People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 451 Ethics and Genetics Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 451 Ethics and Genetics People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 459 Transfer Credits Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 1/4
REL 505 Seminar in Ancient Studies Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 510 Seminar in Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 520 Seminar in New Testament and Early Christianity Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 530 Seminar in Religious or Historical Traditions Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 1/3
REL 550 Seminar in Religious Ethics Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 3/3
REL 560 Seminar in Contemporary Religious Issues Arts and Humanities By Announcement Only 1/3
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
SOC 103 Social Problems People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 270 Deviant Behavior People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 271 Criminal Justice People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
SOC 304 Dynamics of Poverty in the United States People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 305 Globalization and Society People and Society Spring 3/3
SOC 306 Wealth and Poverty in Contemporary America People and Society Fall 3/3
SOC 320 Social Epidemiology: Illness and Death in Society People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 321 Applied Health Policy People and Society Spring 3/3
SOC 332 Collective Behavior People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 335 LGBTQ Communities People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
SOC 340 Sociology of Religion People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 341 Social and Cultural Change People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 342 Contemporary Latin American Societies People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 345 Population and Society People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 350 Sociology of the Family People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 351 Business and Society People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 352 Sport and Society People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 359 The Sociology of Human Sexuality People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 368 Violence in America People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3