SUBJECT CHOICE FOR
LEAVING CERT 2012
St Bricins College
Strictly intended for use by St Bricins Students
All the information given on subject requirements is the most up to date
available at this time (April 2011) and is based on www.qualifax.ie
The information given on LCVP subject requirements is the most up to date
available at this time (April 2011) and is based on DESC Circular 13/2009
Core Subjects
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In this school you must take:
Irish (unless exempt)
English
Mathematics
That leaves you with a choice of
four other subjects from the
following list
How Do You Choose?
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To choose the rest of your subjects first
read through the information on the
following pages.
Pay particular attention to the information
on LCVP, on why you should do it and what
subjects combinations you need.
Carefully read the information on colleges
and courses that require French or Science
subjects.
How Do You Choose Cont’d?
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Consider what subjects you are good at?
What courses or careers are you
interested in after you do your Leaving
Cert?
What subjects do you need to get into
those courses or careers?
What subjects would be useful if not
necessary for such courses and careers?
What subjects do you like?
Choosing
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Indicate your subject preference in
order from 1 down to 11, in the table
below. (Your top choice is No.1 etc.,)
We will try to give everyone as many
of their top choices as possible but
provision of a subject depends on a
sufficient number of students choosing
that subject as an option.
The Choices
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The choices are:
Art
Biology
Business
Construction Studies
Design & Communications Graphics
Engineering
French
Geography
History
Home Economics (Social & Scientific)
Physics & Chemistry
SAMPLE LEAVING CERTIFICATE SUBJECT
CHOICE
Subject
Preference
later than 21st April 2010
Art
5
Biology
2
Business
10
Construction Studies
6
Design & Communication Graphics
1
Engineering
7
French
3
Geography
8
History
11
Home Economics
4
Physics & Chemistry
9
Choices Cont’d
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Provision of a subject depends on
a sufficient number of students
choosing that subject as an
option.
Return the completed sheet to the
Principal on or before Tuesday, 3rd
May 2011.
Do I Need to Take French in My
Leaving Cert
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I want to go to University College
Dublin(UCD), University College
Cork(UCC), NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth,
Pontifical University Maynooth, Royal
College of Surgeons, Shannon College of
Hotel Management.
I want to do a course that requires
French.
I want to join the Cadets
What Can I Do Without French
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French is not required for entry to:
Nursing
DCU, Trinity College, University of Limerick,
Primary Teacher Training
The Institutes of Technology e.g. Sligo
Most Engineering, Agriculture, Science or
Actuarial Courses in NUI Galway, NUI
Maynooth, UCC and UCD (See Exceptions)
A pass in Polish, Lithuanian etc., at Leaving
Cert can be substituted for French
Do I need a Science Subject
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I want to do a course that requires a science
subject (Engineering, Nursing, Forensics
etc.,)
I want to do Science at College
I want to train as a primary teacher in the
U.K.
I want to do Beauty Therapy etc., in Cavan
Institute
There is a growing scarcity of qualified
scientists
Why should I do LCVP?
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The Leaving Cert Vocational Programme
(LCVP) provides:
Enterprise Education
Careers Education
Work Experience
Interview Skills
Can be substituted for points instead of your
subject with the lowest grade.
What do I need for LCVP?
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For Leaving Cert Vocational Programme
(LCVP) you need:
At least 5 Leaving Cert subjects including
Irish unless exempted.
Two subjects from a list of Vocational
Subject Groups (VSG’s).
Study either French or ab initio French to
Leaving Cert (Modern Continental Language).
Vocational Subject Groupings 2011/2013
1
.
2
.
Art with Design Option or
and
Design & Communication Graphics
and
Physics & Chemistry
Art with Craftwork Option
Biology
Construction Studies
3
.
Engineering
Any
two
Design & Communication Graphics
Art with Design Option or
4
.
Home Economics (Sci & Soc)
and
Art with Craftwork Option or
Biology
Engineering or
Design & Communication Graphics or
Construction Studies or
5.
Business
and
Home Economics (Sci & Soc) or
Art with Design Option or
Art with Craftwork Option or
Music
Science Subjects
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BIOLOGY
– Science of living things.
– Very good for careers in science, sport, nursing,
hairdressing and beauty care.
PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY
– Science of chemicals, materials, heat, light, electricity
and motion.
– Very good for science, engineering, practical careers
and apprenticeships e.g. fitting, plumbing and
electrical etc.,
Art & Music
ART
Follows on from Junior Cert Art. Involves practical art work including
the preparation of a portfolio plus the study of Art theory and the
History of Art. Required for Arts – Visual and Design – Visual
Communications in WIT and for Graphic Design in LYT. NCAD will
accept Art or French. Almost all other Art & Design courses require a
portfolio. Useful for Architecture, Media, Teaching etc.,
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MUSIC
Musicianship, Music Theory, History, Composition & Appreciation.
Leaving Cert music or an equivalent qualification are required for
Arts with Music in NUIM, Education, Music & Religion Teaching in
Mater Dei, Music Applied in DKIT and Music, Media and Performance
Technology in UL. Most music courses require an ability to read
music and play an instrument to a high level of proficiency which will
be assessed at an audition.
Technology Subjects
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ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
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CONSTRUCTION
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DESIGN & COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS
– Follows on from Metalwork.
– Deals with all aspects of engineering technology, design,
materials, processes and theory.
– Very good for all Engineering, Design, Construction, practical
careers and apprenticeships particularly in plumbing, fitting and
electrical.
– Follows on from Materials Technology wood.
– Deals with all aspects of construction, building design and
building theory and regulations.
– Very good for all Construction, Engineering, Design, practical
careers and apprenticeships.
– Used to be known as Technical Drawing.
– Follows on from Technical Graphics.
– Very good for all Construction, Engineering, Design, practical
careers and apprenticeships.
Business, Geography, History,
Home Economics
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Follow on from the Junior Courses of the same names
very good for social, personal and academic
development
Business: very good for all business careers
and self-employed.
Geography: very good for all careers in social,
travel, tourism, international trading,
communications, policy-making or teaching.
Home Economics: very good subject for any
career in food, hotel, catering, travel, tourism,
social work, nursing or caring areas.
Further Information
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For more detailed information on subjects
please visit www.careersportal.ie and
choose the link Leaving Cert Subject
Choice in the section entitled World of
Learning
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Full syllabii for all LC Subjects can be found
on the NCCA Website www.ncca.ie
Points & Courses
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There are over 3,000 courses available at Third
Level, 1,344 in the CAO system and 1,832 in
Further Education
Here are a small sample of the best known CAO
courses
Over 40% of all courses (540) had points
requirements of less than 300 in 2010
For a full listing of every Third Level and
Further Education course in Ireland log onto
www.qualifax.ie
For more information on careers log onto
www.careersportal.ie
Sample Points & Courses 2009
Course
Course Provider
Qualification Points
For a full listing of every Third Level and Further Education
course in Ireland log onto www.qualifax.ie
For more information on careers log onto www.careersportal.ie
% Band
LC Grades
Higher Level
Points
Ordinary Level Points
90 -100
A1
100
60
85 - 89
A2
90
50
80 - 84
B1
85
45
75 - 79
B2
80
40
70 - 74
B3
75
35
65 - 69
C1
70
30
60 - 64
C2
65
25
55 - 59
C3
60
20
50 - 54
D1
55
15
45 - 49
D2
50
10
40 - 44
D3
45
5
LCVP
Distinction
Merit
Pass
70 points
50 points
30 points
Bonus*
All students
presenting
HD3 or
above in HL
mathematics
will have 25
points added
to their
score for
mathematics
e.g. HB2 = 80
points +25 =
105
Important Information


All the information given on subject
requirements is the most up to date
available at this time (April 2011) and
is based on www.qualifax.ie
The information given on LCVP subject
requirements is the most up to date
available at this time (April 2011) and
is based on DESC Circular 13/2009
Exceptions
Specific Subject Required
Code
Course
CK405 Genetics
Human
TR056 Health &
Disease
College
UCC
Trinity
3rd Language Required
Specific
Subject
DN096
Science Health &
performance
UCD
DN037
Science –
Biomedical,
Health & Life
UCD
GY 304
B.Sc. in
NUIG
Biotechnology
HC3 in
Biology
HC3 in
Biology &
HC3 in
Physics &
Chemistry