Subjectchoice

‘UsefulTool’forchoosingsubjects

•  GotoQualifax.ieandselect“usefultools”fromlistonlefthandside.

•  Thenchoose“leavingcertificatesubjects”andyoucanselectsubjectsfromadropdownmenu.

Atleastonesciencesubject

•  148 courses definitely require at least onescience subject, e.g.Biotechnology,dentistry,someengineeringcourses,forestry,medicine,nursing,veterinarymedicine,physiotherapy.

Physics•  Leaving cert Physics is the most mathematical of the

sciences, with many exam questions requiring you tosolveaproblemusinglearntformulas.

•  This subject aims to enhance students ability to thinklogically,observeandunderstandscientificmethod.

•  ThecoursebuildsuponthePhysicsinJuniorcertScienceand you are required to complete 24 practicalexperimentsthroughoutthecourse.

•  YouMUST have physics if you wish to do TheoreticalPhysicsinTrinity.

Chemistry•  The course includes 28 mandatory practical experiments as

well as a written paper including questions on theseexperiments and examining the theory and applications ofchemistry.

•  It's really important that you learn your definitions andmandatoryexperimentsasthesemakeupa lotofthemarksintheexamandmustbelearnedwordforword.

•  It is likelytosuityouIfyouapplyattentiontodetailandareable to describe the procedures of experiments andunderstandvocabulary.

•  YouMUST do chemistry for 8 courses (including dentistry,medicineorpharmacyinUCC,veterinarymedicineinUCDorpharmacyinTrinity)

Biology•  Leaving cert Biology is the most popular of all leaving

certificate science subjects and many students pick this astheironesciencesubject.

•  However,notethatmostpopulardoesnotnecessarilymeaneasiest.4.2%ofstudentsfailed(H8)HLBiologyin2017!

•  YouMUSThavebiologyforGeneticsinUCC,HumanHealth&Disease in Trinity and Veterinary Medicine in UCD but it’simportanttonotethatbiologywouldbeadistinctadvantageforanybiologybasedcourses includingmedicine,nursingaswellasenvironmentalsciencesorbiotechnology.

AgriculturalScience•  The study of the science and technology underlying the

principles and practices of agriculture. Youwill study plantsand animal types associated with agriculture. Investigationsare undertaken into such aspects as soil, ecology, plant andanimalphysiology,farmcrops,farmingpractices,geneticsandmicrobiology.

•  75%ofthemarksaregoingforthewrittenpaper.Theother25% is based on an assessment of your work (includinginvestigationsandpracticalexperience)

•  It’s popular among students who are looking to studyveterinary, science zoology or agriculture in college but isNOTessentialforanyCAOcourses.

DesignCommunicationGraphics(DCG)•  Thisbuildsonjuniorcerttechnicalgraphics.•  It’s assessed by means of two assessment components: a

studentassignmentat40%,ofwhichCADformsasignificantandcompulsoryelement,andanexaminationpaperat60%.

•  It provides studentswith theopportunity for visualizing andcomprehendinginformationpresentedverballyorgraphicallyaswellasdevelopingspatialawarenessandproblemsolving.

•  Itisausefulsubjectifyouareinterestedinpracticalareasofengineering and construction or apprenticeships whichincludethestudyoftechnicaldrawingshoweveritisNOTanessentialsubjectforanyCAOcourse.

ConstructionStudies

•  Thispractical subject gives studentshands-onexperienceworkingwithtoolsandmachinery.

•  Threehourwrittenpaper=300marks•  4hourpracticalwoodworkexamwherethestudentmakesasmall

itemoutoftimberunderexamconditions=150marks•  buildingprojectwherethestudentmakesabuildingdetail,ascale

model of a buildingor a craft piece. The student alsoproduces aportfoliotoaccompanytheprojectthattheymake=150marks

•  Not essential for any CAO course but complements a career inbuilding management, carpentry, electrician, town planning,insurance claims, heating and ventilation and housingmanagement.

Business•  The learning experiences in business develops tudents ’ c r i t i ca l th ink ing , c reat ive andorganisational skills while enhancing literacy andnumeracyskillsusingreal-lifeexamples

•  Leavingcertbusiness isassessedthroughone100%exam.

•  Business isNOT specifically required for entry intoany third level course but it would certainly bebeneficialforcandidateswhomightbeinterestedincourses or careers in the area of finance, banking,insurance,enterprise,law,communications

Geography•  The course follows from Junior Cert Geography, and covers very similar

topics(suchasrocks,soils,oceans,populationmovements,map-reading,andeconomicactivities)inalotmoredetail.Therearealargenumberofoptionalsectionsonthecourse,allowingstudentstofocusonthesectionsofthecoursewhichtheylike.

•  Up to 20% of the final grade is achieved before sitting the actualexaminationbycompletingareportonageographicalinvestigation.

•  Geography is considered as a science subject for courses in Trinity.GeographyisNOTarequirementforanyCAOcourse.

•  It is useful in a wide variety of careers such as town planning,environmental science, engineering, tourism, cartography,meteorology/weatherforecastinganddevelopmentwork.

History•  Historyaimstorecordandanalysethingswhichhavehappenedin

thepast,withanemphasisonbothhowandwhyeventsoccurred.It deals with human experience and it is often studied out ofpersonal interest, but also develops important skills such as self-disciplineandcriticalthinkingwhichareoflife-longimportance.

•  Assessment consists of two components: A written examinationpaper (80%)andAresearchstudyreport (20%)submittedaroundEasterbeforetheJuneexam.

•  History is valuable as a background to studies in journalism, law,town planning, architecture, politics, economics, sociology, art,museumand librarywork. YoudoNOTneedhistoryforanyCAOcourse.

Accounting•  The learning experiences in accounting develop students’

organisational, logicalthinking,planningandproblem-solvingskillsfortheirfuturelife,workandstudy.Italsodevelopstheirnumeracyskillswithinthecontextofbusinessandenterprise.

•  It teaches students the bookkeeping side of business but delvesdeeper,teachingstudentstoanalyseandinterpretthefigures.

•  Itisassessedthroughonethreehourexam.•  Youmust haveaccounting forCommerce-Accounting inNUIGbut

accountingisnotessentialforaccountingcoursesinothercolleges.•  Career pathways might include accountancy, actuarial studies,

marketing, business or finance. It would also be an importantsubjectchoiceforthosethinkingofstartingtheirownbusiness

Art•  Canno longerbedoneoutsideofschoolasanextrasubject.50%=10week

classroom-based project. 12.5%= 1hr life drawing exam. 37.5% 2.5 hour arthistorywrittenexam.

•  Most art courses require the submission of a portfolio. No CAO coursesdefinitelyrequireartasleavingcertsubject.

HomeEconomics•  WrittenExampaper–80%,PracticalCoursework-20%•  ThissubjectprovidesagoodfoundationincareersincludingHealth,Education

and Tourism, Clothing and Design and the Food industry, some sampleoccupationsbelow;

Music•  The course consists of threemain components: (1) Composing (2) Listening

(3)Performance,youcanpickoneofthesecomponentstorepresent50%ofyourmarks,theremainingtwowillbeworth25%each.

•  Many music related courses will require an entrance exam/interview oraudition.Arts-MusicinMaynooth,aBAinMusicinUCD,orMusicteacherinMaterDeiallrequiremusictoleavingcert.

•  Music is useful for media work or studies, primary teaching, soundengineering, public relations, library work, speech therapy, film, physicaleducation, communications, production, performance and music at thirdlevel.

AdditionalsubjectsReligion

•  Theexplorationofissuessuchasmeaningandvalue,thenatureofmorality,thedevelopmentofdiversityandbelief,theprinciplesofajustsociety,andtheimplicationsofscientificprogress.

•  ReligiousEducationwouldsuitastudentwithanenquiringmind.Astudentwhoisinterestedinhistory,currentaffairs,travelandcultureanddebatingthemeaningoflife.

•  Assessedthroughcourseworkandexam.•  NOTarequiredsubjectforanyCAOcoursebutwould

complementcareersinArts,Law,Journalism,Education,ReligiousVocationsandSocialWork.

AppliedMaths•  Thestudyofpracticalapplicationsofmathematicstothereal

worldandphysicalproblems.Itistypicallyassociatedwithengineeringandphysics,butalsofindsuseineconomics,finance,business,environmentalstudies,andevenchemistryandmedicine.

•  IdealforstudentswhoaregettingH1sorH2sinHLmathsandphysics.

•  One2.5hourexam.•  AppliedMathsisusefulforcareerssuchasEngineering,

Physics,Construction,IT,Insurance,SystemsAnalystandArchitecturebutisNOTrequiredforanyCAOcourse.

•  InterestingtonoteithasoneofthehighestAratesofallsubjects.