Newbridge College Traditional Leaving Certificate Subject Choice

Leaving Certificate Programme • Leaving Certificate is a 2 year programme. • Full time commitment required over 2 years. • 5 th year is very important especially for those hoping to gain entry to high points courses. • Usually a maximum of 7 subjects are taken for the Leaving Certificate. • An extra (8 th) subject? – need to think very carefully about this as each LC subject is extensive and requires a lot of work. Big jump in standard from J. C. • Other subjects could suffer if workload is too great. • For points purposes best 6 subjects are counted. • All subjects are of equal importance. • Extra points will be awarded in all HEIs for honours Mathematics in LC

Points System *** new 2017 New Grades % Marks H 1 / O 1 90 -100 H 2 / O 2 80<90 H 3 / O 3 70<80 H 4 / O 4 60<70 H 5 / O 5 50<60 H 6 / O 6 40<50 H 7 / O 7 30<40 H 8 / O 8 0<30

Points System *** new 2017 Higher Grade H 1 H 2 H 3 H 4 H 5 H 6 H 7 H 8 Ordinary Points 100 88 77 66 56 46 37 0 Grade Points O 1 O 2 O 3 O 4 O 5 O 6 O 7 O 8 56 46 37 28 20 12 0 0

Points System *** new 2017 Bonus points LCVP points H 6 or above in Maths Extra 25 points Distinction 66 Merit 46 Pass 28

Sample Calculation Paul Subject Level Grade Score Irish H 3 77 English O 1 56 Maths H 2 88+25=113 Geography H 2 88 Biology H 3 77 Physics O 2 46 French H 2 88 LCVP C Merit 46 Add the 6 best scores shown in RED Points = 499

Leaving Certificate Programme • Highly Desirable Subjects • Unless there is a substantial reason otherwise, all students should definitely consider choosing: • a modern language (NUI*) • a science subject. • Subject Levels • Higher and Ordinary level - all subjects. • Foundation level - Mathematics & Irish. • Particular care needs to be taken with Mathematics. Failure in this subject can be detrimental to overall L. C. • LC subject selection • Core subjects: English, Mathematics & Irish* • Optional subjects: 4 other timetabled subjects are chosen

Optional Subjects (4) BUSINESS APPLIED SCIENCES • Business (55) • Home Economics (12) • Accountancy (23) • Construction Studies (35) • Economics (39) • Design and (38) Communication Graphics SCIENCE • Biology (69) • Physics (40) • Chemistry (14) LANGUAGES • French (57) • German (49) SOCIAL STUDIES • History (31) • Geography (47) • Music (19) • Art (33) Information about LC subjects can be found at: www. newbridge-college. ie and www. careersportal. ie & Leaving Cert text books.

Entry Requirements • When choosing Leaving Certificate subjects great care must be taken as the choices of subjects made now may determine 3 rd level and career options in 2 years time. • Why? Regardless of how many points you get in your LC, you will be ineligible to even apply for a course if you have not met it’s “Course Entry Requirements” • Meet Entry Requirements --> Qualified Applicant for Course

Minimum Entry Requirements of major CAO Colleges Institution Minimum grades NUI Colleges: UCD, NUIM, 2 H 5 + 4 O 6 NUIG, UCC. (RCSI, Shannon, Miltown) Required subjects O 6/H 7 in English, Irish & Modern Language*. Trinity College Dublin 3 H 5 + 3 O 6 O 6/H 7 in Maths, English & another Language Dublin City University 2 H 5 + 4 O 6 O 6/H 7 in Maths, English or Irish University of Limerick 2 H 5 + 4 O 6 O 6/H 7 in Maths, Eng. & Irish or another Lang. Dublin Institute of Technology 2 H 5 + 4 O 6 (H. D. ) 5 O 6 (O. D. or H. C. ) O 6/H 7 in Maths, Eng or Irish Regional Institutes of Technology (DK*) 2 H 5 + 4 O 6 (H. D. ) 5 O 6 (O. D. or H. C. ) O 6/H 7 in Maths, Eng or Irish

Specific Course Requirements • Specific L. C. subjects / grades required for entry to particular courses. • They tend to be in the following subject areas: • Science subjects • Languages • Mathematics • E. g. Veterinary Medicine in UCD • Entry Requirements: • 2 H 5 + 4 O 6/H 7, O 6/H 7 in English, Irish, Modern Language & Mathematics, H 5 in Chemistry.

Sample Requirements Irish • Primary Teaching – H 5 • Journalism & Irish (DCU) – O 1/H 4 • Early and Modern Irish (TCD) – H 4 • Gno & Gaeilge (DCU) – O 1/H 4 French • Law with French Law (UCD) – H 3 • Bus. Studies and French (TCD) – H 3 • Law and French (TCD) – H 3 A Language • Many courses require a language but may not specify a particular one: • English Studies & Languages (DIT) – H 4 in Ge, Sp or Fr. • Applied Languages (DCU) – H 4 in Fr or Ge or Sp. • Speech and Language Therapy (TCD) – H 4 in En, Fr, Ge, Ir, It, Ru or Sp. • Cadet School – O 6/H 7 in a modern Language.

Sample Requirements Mathematics • Honours Engineering – H 4 • • Business Studies (DCU) – O 4/H 6 • • Optometry (DIT) - O 3/H 7 • • Economics & Finance (UCD) – • H 4 • • Business (TCD) – O 4/H 6 • • Science (UCD) – O 3/H 6 • Commerce (UCD) – O 3/H 6 • Economics and Maths Sciences (UL) – H 3 Science Particular care needs to be taken with science subjects. Many courses require any one science subject Some courses require 2 science subjects, particularly TCD and UCC. UCAS courses Nursing – O 6/H 7 in a Lab. Sc. Medical/Para medical courses Chemistry • Pharmacy – H 5 • Human Nutrition, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine & Dentistry (UCC) – H 4

Specific Course Requirements • Unlikely that 3 rd/TY students will know exactly, which courses/careers they wish to pursue at this stage. • But they may be able to identify broad areas of interest and hence check potential course entry requirements. • Course Entry Requirements can be accessed: a) In the college’s prospectuses b) On the college’s websites c) Directory of LC Entry Requirements (Library) d) www. qualifax. ie – Subject Requirements It is only when all course entry requirements are met that students are qualified to apply for a course.

Eirquest

Eirquest Careers Programme designed to: 1. Identify a range of well matched potential career and higher education course areas. 2. Provide a framework for careers and college research. 3. Provide a focal point for discussion in school and at home. 4. Provide objective results based on answers to series of simple questions Students Receive: 1. An individual Careers Workbook 2. A copy of The Careers Directory 3. Access to the My. Careers. Room online resource

General Advice If a student is not really sure what he/she wants to do in the future: Pick a broad range of subjects in order to keep options open Many students will change their minds about their future a number of times in the next 2 years • E. g. • one language • one science • one business • one humanities / applied science. • This combination would allow access into a broad range of courses/careers.

Choosing a Subject Successful subject choice requires: Subject Teachers, Guidance Classes, TY Programme RESEARCH L. C. Books, Publications, Other Students Guidance Counsellors, Current Teachers DISCUSSION Family, Friends Consider all the information, views and opinions REFLECTION Then, ultimately each student must make up their own mind. DECISION

Key Questions 1. What subjects is the school offering? 2. If I’m interested in a particular course/career area, what subjects are essential? ( Course Entry Requirements) 3. If not essential, what subjects would be useful/helpful for this course/career area? 4. What subjects do I like? (motivation) (not the teacher) 5. What subjects am I relatively good at? (DATs) (JC)

Important Points • DCG/Construction Studies are not needed to do Engineering. Maths and Physics are more important. • Art is generally not needed for Art and Design courses. A portfolio is however. • For Business courses, Maths is generally a requirement rather than Business subjects. • Students should be careful to try pick a balance between learning and understanding subjects. • Students should be aware of balancing subjects which help maximise points vs. subjects which may be of benefit to them in the future.

Newbridge College Draft Subject Options GEOGRAPHY BIOLOGY HOME ECON. MUSIC FRENCH PHYSICS GEOGRAPHY BIOLOGY ART ECONOMICS DCG CHEMISTRY GERMAN BUSINESS CONS. STUDIES FRENCH HISTORY DCG GERMAN BUSINESS ECONOMICS CONS. STUDIES FRENCH ACCOUNTING

Timetable of Events • January – DATs 3 rd years • January 30 th to February 3 rd – Subject Choice Week • January 31 st – Parents Night. • February 1 st – Prefects talks • February 13 th – Subject Choice Interviews begin • March 10 th – Deadline for submission of application forms for TY. • April 6 th – Deadline for final subject choices and commitment to TY. • April 10 th – Generation of classes begins.

Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. During subject choice interview a set of subjects are agreed with student. (on lines and/or preferred) Note brought home to parent outlining agreed subjects. Parents must review, sign and return to G. C. A change may be made to agreed subjects before April 6 th by written request from parents to G. C. From April 10 th changes will only be facilitated if vacancies exist in classes. Important that parents know what subjects their son/daughter is choosing so changes should be accompanied by note from home.