Information and Advice on Leaving Certificate Subject - Coláiste Muire - Aine Finn, Guidance Counsellor

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Coláiste Muire

                       Information
                           and
                          Advice
                            on
                         Leaving
                        Certificate
                          Subject

  Aine Finn, Guidance Counsellor
1
Choosing the right subjects for you!             Things to Consider
     Your choice of subjects for the            To maximise your points :
     Leaving Certificate may have               • Identify the subjects you like
     implications when it comes to                  best, you will obviously work
     choosing your specific career area             harder at these
     but it should not be viewed as the         • Identify the subjects you are
     ordeal it is perceived to be.                  already good at. It is helpful to
                                                    choose subjects in which you
                                                    can get high grades.
                                                • Having the essential subjects
     Your decision may be simplified                for the job/course of your
     by considering the following:                  choice by:
     •    Beyond the essential core               (a) Read through this booklet.
          subjects English, Irish and                 List the subjects essential for
          Mathematics the number of                   or recommended for the
          courses and jobs which require              various careers you have
          specific subjects is in fact                in mind. (see pages 10-12
          relatively small.                           for faculty requirements for
                                                      Cork colleges)
          There are some exceptions               (b) It is very important that you
                                                      consult individual College
     •    A third language is required to
                                                      Prospecti and your Guidance
          gain entry to some NUI courses
                                                      Counsellor about subject
          (UCC, UCD, NUI Galway and
                                                      choice if you have a specific
          NUI Maynooth) including
                                                      career area in mind
          teacher training courses
          affiliated to the NUI.
                                                           IF
     •    A Science degree normally
                                                        YOU ARE
          requires one subject from the
          science or in some cases the
                                                    UNSURE OF YOUR
          applied science group.                   CHOICE OF CAREER
                                                      AREA CHOOSE
     •    Note that for direct entry into             ONE SUBJECT
          most third level engineering                 FROM FIVE
          degree courses one needs                   OF THE GROUPS
          Higher Level Maths.                          ON PAGE 2.

20                                          1
ALL LEAVING CERTIFICATE STUDENTS

                                                                                             In Leaving Certificate, students are awarded “points” for each individual grade they achieve.
    take a core group of subject which are

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Pass 28
                     Irish, English, Maths,
                    Physical Education (PE),
                     Computers, Religion.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Merit 46
                                                                         The Points Scale
                      Construction Studies
                Design & Communication Graphics
                        Home Economics

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Dist 66
                                                                                                                                                                                               25 Bonus Points will be awarded for H1 – H6 in Maths.
Agricultural Sc.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             LCVP
Students at Coláiste Muire also have the opportunity of taking an
additional Leaving Certificate subject LCVP if they take Biology, Home
Economics and a foreign language.

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                                   2                                                                                                                                                                                                                    19
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         3
Physics                                                                    Geography
                                                                                                                    Geography is one of the most
                       Irish, English, Maths,                                                                       interesting, intellectually
                                    Physics(PE),
                      Physical Education     is a laboratory science                                                challenging and relevant
                       Computers, and   is concerned with the study
                                    Religion.                                                                       subjects for understanding the
                                         of everyday things in our                                                  nature of the world today and
                                         worldradios, clocks, pendulums,                                            the processes of change which
                                         children’s swings, nuclear                                                 are operating in both physical
                                         reactors, space travel to                                                  and human landscapes. It
                                                                           The syllabus is structured around
                                                                                                                    givesa broad view of the
                                         mention but a few.                a number of key geographical
                                                                                                                    relationshipbetween the
                                         The applications of Physics are   concepts.
                                                                                                                    environment,technology and
                                         found in every aspect of modern   The main areas are:                      society. It is about the earth
                                         living, optics, engineering,      Physical                                 and how we live in it.
                                         architecture, design, graphics,   Social, Economic
                                         medicine, communications and      Regional                                 Geography makes an important
                                         computers.                        Fieldwork - 20%                          contribution towards enabling
                                                                           Ordnance Survey Maps and                 young people to function more
Physics is essential for                                                   Aerial Photograph Analysis               effectively as members of
                                         The Leaving Certificate Course                                             society and this is the intention
careers in:
Electronic Engineering (Higher           involves the study of energy in   Geography is useful for careers in:      of the Leaving Certificate
level C and Hon Maths at UCC)            its various forms, light,                                                  syllabus. It helps the student to
                                                                           Civil Engineering Tourism
Theoretical Physics (TCD)                electricity, sound etc. and the                                            develop an understanding
                                                                           Surveying         Climate Change
                                         ways of measuring energy.                                                  of the physical, social and
                                                                           Earth Science     Pollution
                                                                                                                    economic processes which
Physics is useful for careers in:                                          Town Planning
                                         Mandatory experiments are                                                  change this environment.
Electronics, Engineering                                                   Architecture
                                         also a part of the course which   Marine Careers
Architecture, Physiotherapy
Radiography, Medicine
                                         gives the student hands on        Meteorology                              N.B. Geography fulfills one of
Dentistry, Computing                     experience of the use of          Civil Service                            the Science subject
Veterinary Science, Electrician,         measurements to explore           Airline Pilots                           requirements for Science and
Pilot, Heating and Ventilation           various aspects of physics and    Environmental Studies                    Pharmacy courses in TCD.
Technician, Instrumentation.             its application.

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                                     2                                                                         19
                                                                                                               3
The study of history is
indispensible to a person                   History                                                                       Chemistry
developing understanding of the
human condition and human                                                                                                 Chemistry is the science of solids,
motivation. In encountering the                                                                                           liquids and gases and what they
past experiences of his/her own                                                                                           do when they react with each
community, the history student                                                                                            other and how these reactions
gains valuable insights into the                                                                                          can be used for the benefit of
roots of his/her own identity and                                                                                         society. It helps us to understand
                                              Daniel O’Connell   Czar Nicholas II
inherited traditions.                                                                                                     the world we live in and is a
                                                                                                                          very exciting subject. Medicine,
In the new syllabus students                                                                                              Pharmacology, Engineering
study 2 topics relating to Irish                                                                                          Agriculture, Food Technology
history and 2 relating to Europe                                                                                          and Electronics depend on
and the wider world from                                                                                                  the knowledge that chemistry
1815-1993. There is a strong                                                                       Cork has the
                                                                                                                          provides.
emphasis on enquiry, evidence,                    Parnell          Karl Marx                          greatest
exploration and the links                                                                          concentration
between them.                                                                                        of chemical          Chemistry is Essential for:
                                                                                                    industries in         Medicine (UCC) -In UCC course
Each student will complete a              History is useful for careers in:                            Ireland.           Higher C in chemistry plus
research study which is                   Law, Journalism, Tourism,                                                       higher C in either Physics or
presubmitted and will account for         Politics, Teaching, Civil Service,                                              Biology is required. Dentistry
20% of the total marks. The               Broadcasting.                                                                   (UCC). Human Nutrition (DIT)
individual topics will be chosen                                                                                          Med Lab Science (DIT).
by the student and foster                                                                                                 Veterinary Medicine UCD all
                                                                                    Chemistry for careers in:
independent learning and                                                                                                  require Higher C in Chemistry.
research skills.                                                                    Chemical Engineering,
                                          Students who like reading,                Pharmacy, Science, Civil
                                          analysing and have some                                                         The Chemistry Leaving Certificate course
Present 5th year students have                                                      Engineering, Med. Lab Science,        changed in 2002. All students must
                                          interest in world affairs would
used the words rewarding and                                                        Medicine, Food Process                perform about 25 practicals themselves.
                                          benefit greatly from the study                                                  The examination will have three
enlightening to describe the new                                                    Engineering, Nursing,
                                          of History.                                                                     long questions based solely on these
history course - high praise                                                        Health Care Services,                 experiments. The theory component has
indeed!                                                                             Food Process Engineering,             become more focused on applied
                                                                                    Material Science.                     chemistry, e.g. how an internal
                                                                                                                          combustion engine works.
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                                                                                                                      5
German
   Biology
                                            The two year biology syllabus, is a
                                            course designed to give                                                                Germany is one of Ireland most
                                            students an introduction to all the                                                    significant partners on
                                            various aspects of life on planet                                                      mainland Europe, both in
                                            earth. The course encourages                                                           terms of trade and investment.
                                            students to make wise choices                                                          But there is still a shortage
                                            regarding diet, medicine intake                                                        of Irish people with a fluency
                                            and exercise.It promotes mature                                                        in German across a range
                                            attitudes to body issues and urges                                                     of professional and clerical
                                            students to take responsibility for                                                    positions, including marketing,
                                            personal health.                                accountancy, electronics and software engineering.
                                                                                            The Leaving Certificate German course, (both ordinary and higher)
                                            Other topics covered include:                   is structured to meet the demands of the Leaving Certificate
                                            • Cell Biology                                  Examination paper.
                                            • Ecology
                                                                                            Important aspects of the Leaving Certificate course is the
                                            • Biochemistry
                                                                                            development of the students knowledge and accuracy in reading,
                                            • Genetics & Evolution
                                                                                            writing and listening comprehension in German. Students will read
Biology is the study of life.               • DNA and Molecular Biology
                                                                                            German newspapers, passages by German authors, translating,
This interesting and exciting               • Diversity of organisms
                                            • Plant anatomy and physiology                  analysing, and giving their opinions on same.
subject is a laboratory science                                                             A much greater emphasis has been put on aural(listening) and
                                            • Human anatomy and physiology
involving both theory and                                                                   oral (spoken) German in more recent years. To assist the student in
                                            • 22 mandatory lab experiments
practical work.                                                                             developing fluency in spoken German, they will listen to CDs and
                                            • Emphasis on Contempory issues
                                              relating to each unit, e.g. medical           answer questions on everyday topics. Students are expected to
For the consistent student,                                                                 be able to discuss these topics and others for example family,
                                              concerns, hygiene, recent
results show that high grades                 developmentsin DNA profiling,                 friends, and their hopes for the future in their Leaving Certificate
are reasonably attainable.                    stem cell research, emerging                  examination.
Memory work is important.                     viruses etc.
                                                                                            Classes are small & student friendly. Individual attention is assured!
NOTE:                                       Biology is useful for careers in:                      PROGRAMMES with German as a major part include:
To do Medicine/Dentistry in UCC.,           Environmental Agriculture,                               Batchelor of arts                    BA Language & Cultural Studies
two science subjects are required,          Biological and Chemical Sciences, Beauty          B Comm (European ) with German                     BA Arts & music
one of which could be Biology. A            Therapy, Nursing, Food Science, Medical                BCL Law and German                       BA Drama & Theatre Studies
laboratory science subject is also          Laboratory Science, Veterinary Medicine,               BA European Studies                  Software Development With German
required for the degree in nursing.         Dentistry, Marine Biology, Health and
                                                                                          As the course is very broad independent learning outside the classroom is encouraged.
Useful for a career in Beauty &             Safety areas, Childcare, Horticulture Earth   Students wishing to work in EU would benefit very much by having German as a
Health.                                     Science, Biochemical engineering              language.
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                                                                                                                                  5
French                                                          LCVP
                                                                                         Leaving Certificate Vocational Program
                                     The Leaving Certificate course is
                                     organised and taught along thematic
                                     lines. It develops phrases, which were     This programme aims to balance the virtues of the traditionally
                                     introduced at Junior Cycle, such as        academic Leaving Certificate with the development of skills and
                                     family, hobbies, school, holidays etc.     qualities which will prove relevant to the lives of students on leaving
                                     The Leaving Cert. French syllabus aims
                                                                                school. It provides a skill base for further education, the world of
                                     to aid the student to be able to use the
                                     language in a large varity of possible
                                                                                work or the business of making a living. It is a very worthwhile
                                     situations. Classroom activities seek to   programme both for the student personally and academically.
                                     expose the student to French in lots of    The content of LCVP has common ground with the needs of the
                                     different ways.                            business community. At practical level, the student who has taken
                                                                                Home Economics with Biology or Business and a foreign language
                                     The Leaving Certificate examination in     will have an opportunity to link these subjects with three Link
                                     French consists of three components:       Modules which are:
French is useful for careers in:     • Oral Examination                         • Enterprise Education • Preparation for Work • Work Experience
IT                                   • Aural Examination
Call Centres (Tele-services)         • Written examination (Reading                                                     • The LCVP Leaving Certificate
                                        and Writing)                                                                      examination consists of
Tourism, Teaching
Marketing /Business                  It should be noted that the revised                                                  building up a portfolio which
Journalism                           syllabus (1998) contains a strong                                                    accounts for 60% of overall
Secretarial Work/Travel Agency       emphasis on the acquisition of                                                       result and will be covered in
                                     oral and aural skills at Senior                                                      5th year.
French is essential for:             Cycle. Students need to find                                                       • A written exam in early May
Law and French (UCC)                 opportunities to listen to/speak                                                     of 6th year will accounts for
                                     and read French outside of the                                                       another 40% of the overall
Commerce and French(UCC)
                                     classroom situation.
European Studies French                                                                                                   grade.
                                     Student autonomy in language
Language and Cultural Studies        acquisition is encouraged and                                                      • One of the many advantages
with French                          expected by the Department.                                                          in taking this subject is that
                                                                                                                          it is recognised by both the
                                                                                                                          Institutes of Technology and
  N.B: It is essential for all students entering any of the NUI Colleges to                                               Universities, who award 66
  meet Matriculation requirements which are Maths, Irish, English,                                                        points for a distinction, 46 for
  and a continental language in most cases.                                                                               a merit and 28 for pass.
                                     14
                                      6                                                                            15
                                                                                                                    7
Spanish
                                     Business                                                                        The Leaving Certificate Spanish
                                                                                                                     course develops further many
                                                                                                                     of the aims, themes, and
                                                                                                                     grammar points of the Junior
                                          Business is concerned with
                                                                                                                     Cycle syllabus. At the end
                                          how organisations are formed,
                                                                                                                     of their secondary school life,
                                          financed and run. It also looks
                                                                                                                     students are expected to have
                                          at the services involved in
                                                                                                                     developed a communicative
                                          business such as banking,
                                                                            Spanish is useful for careers in:        competence in Spanish, be
                                          transport, taxation and
                                                                            Commerce with Spanish                    able to understand authentic
                                          semistate bodies. It focuses on
                                                                            European Studies Spanish                 language resources (e.g.
                                          the importance of Enterprise
                                                                            Telesales, Journalism, Industry          newspaper articles, literary
                                          and Management skills and
Business provides an excellent                                              Computing                                extracts etc.), and have
                                          concentrates on people in
foundation of anyone thinking                                                                                        developed a high level of
                                          business.
of a business career though it                                              • It is also worth noting that as        cultural awareness as regards
is not an essential subject for           Topics covered will be:             Spanish is not as widely taught        Spain and the rest of the
any particular course. It                 People in Business                  as French and German in Irish          Spanish-speaking world.
develops in students a critical           Enterprise                          schools, the points for various        There are three components to
understanding of the changing             Social Responsibility               business courses with Spanish          the Leaving Certificate
business environment and                                                      are significantly lower than for       Examination;
prepares them for                                                             those with French or German.            • Oral (worth 25% at HL, 20%
participation                             The Business syllabus is a        • Many Irish choose to holiday in            at OL)
in adult and working life.                natural progression from            Spain and increasingly people           • Aural (worth 20% at HL, 25%
                                          Business Studies at Junior          are travelling to south and                at OL)
                                          Certificate level. It has           central America where Spanish           • Written (worth 55% at both
Business is useful for Careers in:
                                          replaced the former Business        is spoken in over 20 countries.            levels)
Business,                                 Organisation syllabus and will      A knowledge of Spanish can             Obviously, there is a strong
Banking                                   be examined for the first time      really enhance the tourist’s           emphasis on the acquisition of
Administration                            in June 1999.                       experience of their holidays.          oral and aural skills and
Marketing
                                                                            • Results in Leaving Certificate         students are encouraged and
Purchasing
                                                                              Spanish are uniformly high and         advised to seek out as many
Hotel/Retail Trade
                                                                              many student go on to study the        opportunities as possible where
Merchandising
                                                                              subject at University or use it in     they can help to develop these
Insurance
                                                                              the working life.                      essential skills.
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                                      6                                                                         15
                                                                                                                7
ConstruCtion studies

                                                   Art                                                          The course is essentially about the
                                                                                                                study of buildings and the built
                                                                                                                environment.
                                                                                                                The theoretical part of the course
                                                                                                                examines all parts of building
                                                                                                                from the planning stages to the
                                                                                                                completed building.

                                     Art is a very important subject
                                     at the core of developing a
                                     student’s visual appreciation         The course is studied under the following main headings:
                                     and awareness, while continuing       Planning and Design                    Windows and Doors
                                                                           Drawings and Documents                 Stairs
                                     to improve their creativity and
                                                                           Site Preliminaries and Foundations Plastering and Painting
                                     encourage individuality.              Walls, Partitions                      Plumbing and Heating
Art is useful for careers in:                                              Floors, Roofs                          Services
Printing                             It is highly recommended that         Fireplaces                             Drainage
Publishing                           students have studied art at
                                     Junior Cycle as the skills learned    Exam Structure
Architecture                                                               The examination at higher and ordinary levels has three separate
                                     are further developed at senior
Advertising                                                                components.
                                     cycle.                                Section A Three hour written paper worth 300 marks.
Fashion                                                                    Section B Four hour practical woodwork exam.
Photography                          As well as the practical              Section C Building Project where the student makes a building detail, a
Marketing                            component           incorporating     scale model of a building or craft piece.
                                     drawing and craft, there is also      Points to note:
Teaching
                                     a theoretical component in Art        – It is recommended that a student taking Leaving Certificate
Television and Theatre               History. An interest in art history     Construction Studies has a general interest in buildings and the built
Web Design                           and a good command of the               environment.
Curating                             English language is helpful with      – Each student should have an aptitude and interest for design and
                                     the theory element.                     pratical work.
Interior Design                                                            – Junior Certificate Woodwork and/or Technical Graphics woud be
                                                                             desirable subjects to have taken at Junior Certificate though not
                                                                             compulsory.

                                 8
                                12                                                                             13
                                                                                                                9
Home                                       ConstruCtion
                                                                           OTHER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS studies
                            Economics
                             (Social & Scientific)
                                                                           Teagasc - Agriculture and Food Development Authority
                                                                           Leaving Certificate with a pass in five subjects for most courses.
                                                                           English, Irish and Maths requirements differ in some courses.

                                                                           Solas Apprenticeships
                                 Home Economics (Social and
                                                                           Minimum entry requirements set out by Solas: Grade D in any five
                                 Scientific) covers topics such as
                                 food constituents, microbiology,          subjects in the Junior Cert. In practice many employers will look for
                                 food preservation, consumerism            leaving cert standard of education.
                                 and social issues, the family
Home Economics is                and the home. The course is               Garda Siochana
                                 divided into three sections:              Leaving Cert with a pass in five subjects to include Irish, English
useful for careers in:            • Food/Nutrition:                        and Maths. (Foundation level Irish and Maths is acceptable.)
Nutrition                           There is an in-depth study of
                                    food, chemistry, food
Nursing                                                                    Defence Forces
                                    preservation, microbiology and
Teaching                            physiology. During 5th year            Cadetship: L.C. grade C3 in three higher level papers and grade D3
Food Science                        students will do a lot of practical    in three ordinary/higher level papers. Students must pass English
                                    work that relates to the food          and or/Irish, Maths and a modern language.
Child Care                          area and will complete a Food          Recruits: Students need to obtain specific grades in at least five
Hotel and Catering                  Evaluation Journal which will be       subjects in Junior Cert, which must include English and or/
Science                             worth 20% of the Leaving Cert          Irish, Maths and two other specific subjects(depending on the
                                    Exam.                                  apprenticeship).
Social Science                    • Home:
                                    Everything to do with a modern
                                    household - from                       Colleges of Further Education
N.B. While it is still                                                     For most courses a pass leaving cert is required thought not for all
                                    building/buying a house, interior
recommended for                     design and finance, but to             courses.
teacher training in Home            mention a few.
Economics, it is not a            • Society:                               While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the
                                    This is an introduction to basic       information contained in this document, no responsibility can be
requirement for entry
                                    Sociology. it includes the study       taken for any errors or omissions. Students with specific enquiries
into St. Angela’s College                                                  should always check with their Guidance Counsellor
                                    of relationships, attitudes,
for Home Economics.                 behavioural problems/patterns,
                                    social groupings and social
                                    problems.

                             8
                            12                                                                              13
                                                                                                            9
Design &
                                              Communications
                                           Course Outline
                                           Assessment of the new course is via
                                           • A Terminal Written Exam (worth 60% of total
                                           assessment)
                                           examined in one paper of 3-hour duration (instead of the
                                           current
                                           system of two papers of 6 hour duration). Students are
                                           expected to answer:
     1) • 3 of 4 short questions in section A of the paper & 2 of 3 long
     questions in section B, all questions are taken from the Core
     Syllabus of Plane & Descriptive Geometry
     2) • 2 of 5 questions from an Applied Graphics Syllabus (section C of paper)

                                            }
     The syllabus content is outlined below.
     Plane & Descriptive Geometry
     Projection Systems
     Plane Geometry
                                                    Core
     Conic Sections
     Descriptive Geometry Intersections
     Developments of Surfaces

                              }
     Applied Graphics
     Dynamic Mechanisms
     Structural Forms
     Geologic Geometry                 Options
     Surface Geometry
     Assemblies
     • Project Work (worth 40% of total assessment) of approximately 40 hours duration submitted on
     disk and as hardcopy to the Department of Education before the State Examinations commences.
     The project will focus on modes of design communication with emphasis on Elements of
     design.
     Communication graphics
     Use of information and communication technologies in design.
     Some examples of modes of communication are a computer parametric modelling package,
     use of digital media, freehand drawing etc. The terminal exam focuses on the understanding
     of geometry through graphics using problem solving and lateral thought whilst the assignment
     develops creative and individual design strategies. Further information can be obtained from Ms.
     Gallagher D11or www.t4.ie
     Careers
     Skills and abilities developed through Design & Communications Graphics are beneficial to many
     careers and courses particularly in the field of engineering, architecture, design and technology,
     manufacturing/production technology, industrial/interior design, carpentry etc.

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