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 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 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 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
SOC 369 Crime and Public Policy People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 372 Criminology: Police and Community People and Society Fall, Summer 3/3
SOC 373 Criminology: Courts and Society People and Society Spring 3/3
SOC 374 Criminology: Corrections People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 375 Sociology of Mental Health and Illness People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 377 Sociology of Drug Abuse People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 378 Criminology: Law and Society People and Society Fall 3/3
SOC 380 Sociology of Gender People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 381 Aging in Society People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 382 The U.S. Jewish Community People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 383 Sociology of Education People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 384 Medical Sociology People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 385 U.S. Latinos People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SOC 386 U.S. Immigration People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 387 Race and Ethnic Relations People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 388 The Black Ghetto in Urban Society People and Society Fall 3/3
SOC 389 The Black Athlete in White America People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 480 Health Disparities in the U.S. People and Society Fall 3/3
SOC 487 Race, Ethnicity, and Criminal Justice People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SOC 488 Gender and Crime People and Society By Announcement Only 3/3
SPA 201 Intermediate Spanish I Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
SPA 201 Intermediate Spanish I People and Society Fall, Spring, Summer 3/3
SPA 202 Intermediate Spanish II People and Society Fall, Spring 3/3
SPA 202 Intermediate Spanish II Arts and Humanities Fall, Spring 3/3