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)
WRS 232 Advanced Writing for People and Society Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 232 Advanced Writing for People and Society People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 233 Advanced Writing for STEM Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 306 Special Topics in Writing and Rhetoric Fall, Spring 1/3
WRS 306 Special Topics in Writing and Rhetoric Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 1/3
WRS 310 AI in Digital and Professional Writing Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 331 Legal Writing and Rhetoric I Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 331 Legal Writing and Rhetoric I People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
WRS 332 Writing for Civic Engagement Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
WRS 332 Writing for Civic Engagement People and Society Fall 3/3
WRS 333 Writing the Research Paper Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
WRS 335 Writing for Interactive Media Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
WRS 335 Writing for Interactive Media Fall 3/3
WRS 345 Writing for Innovation and Leadership Arts and Humanities Fall 3/3
WRS 431 Legal Writing and Rhetoric II Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3