Beyond Junior Cert
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4 options:
Leaving Certificate
Leaving Cert Vocational
Transition Year
Leaving Cert Applied
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The Process
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Subject information seminars
Initial selection 14 January
DATs testing results end of Jan
Second option form- end Feb
Mock J Cert
Final decisions - May
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Leaving Cert. Subject Choice
You must take the following:
English, Irish, Maths
Choose 4 from the following list:
Art
German
Engineering
Music
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
French
History
Accounting
Design Studies Religion
Business Organisation
Home Economics
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Geography
Construction Studies
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More subjects available
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Some subjects change name
• Woodwork ---- Construction Studies
• Metalwork --Engineering
• Technical Graphics ---- DCG
• Some split up into separate subjects
Science---- Physics : Chemistry: Biology
Business --- Business Organisation:
Accounting
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I don’t know what I want to do after
school what subjects are a safe bet?
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A foreign language: French or German if you did it
for J.Certificate and like it. Needed for entry to a
number of universities
1 Science subject is a good idea :
Biology,
Chemistry, Physics – is needed for a lot of Third
Level courses and offers a lot of options later
2 other subjects that you like
Choose what you think you will like or will be good
at based on your studies to date and what you read
in your booklet and your teachers’ advice
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Consider the possibility..
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You might change your mind over
the 2 years to L Cert about what you
might like to do
Keep options open as long as
possible with safe choice of
subjects
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Consider also…
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Balance in subjects- if you pick 3 or 4
literary subjects - history, religion,
geography this will involve a lot of essays
and projects. Can you handle this?
Too many practical subjects means you
could have three LC practical projects due
in around the same time!
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Be aware if you want to
study….
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Primary teaching- C3 in Higher Irish
essential
Dentistry- must have 2 science
subjects
Nursing – must have a science
subject
Medicine – at least 1 science and
chemistry will reduce your studies
by one year
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Engineering- at university requires
higher maths but you can study it at
IT level with pass maths
Sports courses: Many require a
science subject for entry also very
useful for beauty therapy
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Leaving Certificate
Vocational Programme
LCVP provides students with a focus for developing
vocational skills and exploring their career options
The subjects are divided into 16 groups and students
choose two subjects from the groups
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An example of the groupings:
1. Construction, Engineering, DCG, Technology Any Two
2. Home Economics, Agi. Science, Biology - Any
Two
3. Physics and Chemistry
4. Art & DCG
Link Modules
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Link Modules
Preparation for the World of Work
Enterprise Education
Work Placement
Business and Community visits
Mini enterprise
Example
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Student A: Irish, English, Maths, Business,
German, Home Economics, Biology, Link
Modules
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Student B: Irish, English, Maths, French,
Art, Engineering , DCG, Link Modules
Programme
Requirements
Students must:
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Be taking at least five LC subjects plus
the link modules
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Two of the above subjects must be
selected from the designated Subject
Groupings
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Students must take Irish
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A European Language other than Irish or
English
Assessment
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Assessment is at a common level
Terminal Examination taken in May of sixth
year
Terminal Examination
40% of the total marks
Portfolio of Course work
60% of the total marks
Grades
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Points for LCVP
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Distinction (80%-100%) 70 points
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Merit (65 -79%)
50 points
(D2 H)
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Pass (50% - 64%)
30 points
(C1 O)
(C1 H)
Leaving Cert Applied
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2 year Leaving Cert
Credit based 200 credits
133 credits for ongoing work
67 credits for final exam
4 work experiences – credits for these
Attendance vital for full award
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Leaving Certificate
Applied
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Leaving Certificate Applied
The two year course is divided into four half-year blocks
called sessions.
At the end of each session credits are awarded in each of
the subjects.
These credits go towards the final grades in the Leaving
Cert.
The final exam is taken in June of 6th year and students
take six subjects
English and Communications
Two Vocational Specialisms (Tourism, Construction,
Office, Music, Engineering)
Mathematical Applications
Languages
Social Education
There are four work experiences over the two years
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Check your “Making Subject
Choices” booklet very carefully
Talk with your teachers/year head
Ask Guidance counsellor if you are
uncertain about anything
Look at DATs results and pick subjects
related to the areas in which you scored
well
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Looking beyond LC
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Third Level studies
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Post Leaving Cert Courses
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Apprenticeship/other training
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Work
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Third Level Studies
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Why?– long term benefits
Greater flexibility to withstand
recessionary times- graduate
unemployment is half that of the main
unemployment figures
Having a degree gives you greater career
opportunities and chance to change
direction more easily with further study
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Points for Third Level
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Points are calculated on your highest SIX
subjects in Leaving Cert
The grades for the subjects are broken
down into sub-sections for the awarding of
points, for example,
A1 higher level = 100 points
A2 higher level = 90 points.
Maximum points achievable = 625
POINTS
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Higher Level Maths at L.Cert
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25 extra points will be awarded for higher
level maths from grade D3 upwards
A1= 100 +25 extra = 125
D3= 45+ 25 extra = 70
This is a good incentive to stick with
Higher Maths
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Looking beyond LC & LCA
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All qualifications now organised into
a 10 point framework
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J Cert
is Level 3
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L Cert
is Level 4 &5
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Third level courses - Levels 6 -10
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National Qualification
Framework
LEVEL 8 – HIGHER DEGREE –
POINTS –some examples
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2011
SCIENCE
UCD
435
ARTS
UCD
365
ARTS
NUIM
375
COMMERCE UCD
445
B.ED. (Primary Teaching) 475
NURSING
UCD
400
COMPUTER SCIENCE
375
ENGINEERING TCD
440
SOCIAL CARE ITTa
340
2012
500
355
370
465
470
430
380
465
350
Third Level Courses
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There are over 900 courses available at
third level in 7 universities and 14 I T’s
nationwide
You can get into courses with a points
score from 25 up to 600!
Points can go up and down for courses
every year depending on popularity of
courses
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OTHER OPTIONS AFTER LC
POST LEAVING CERT COURSES
 PLC – 1 or 2 year course in colleges of Further
Education –Crumlin College, Rathmines,
Inchicore…
 Very suitable for LC and LCA
 Entry level is a good pass LC or LCA
 No points for admission - interview
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POST LEAVING CERT COURSES
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Can be used to go to third level
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Give valuable work experience
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Offer a great variety of skills in different
areas: childcare, computing, beauty
therapy, sports,
engineering,business,horticulture….
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The Future???
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Computer studies/Information technology/web
design
Business/Accountancy/Tax/Actuary
Marketing
Science/Pharmacuticals/Food Science
Engineering/Electrical/Mechanical
Biomedical Science& Engineering
Medicine-doctors
Teachers (eventually because of pop. growth)
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The Future…
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More unpredictable than ever
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Flexibility will be the norm
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Continuous learning and upskilling is the
key
This evening is a first step in that direction
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Thank You for listening!
Any queries we will be available after the
presentations are finished
There will be further help for students
There will be flexibility to make changes
over the coming weeks
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