Transcript Blessington Community College

Subject Choice
19th March 2015
Overview of Presentation
• Information on Minimum Third Level Entry
Requirements (Set by Higher Education
Institutes)
• Specific Course Requirements (Set by faculties
within colleges)
• Subjects in Dominican College
2
National Framework of
Qualifications
http://www.nfq.ie.webhosting.heanet.ie/nfq/en/FanDiagram/nqai_nfq_
08.html
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Routes after school
• Post Leaving Cert courses – apply directly to
the colleges – level 5 and level 6 (NFQ)
• Apply to courses through the CAO –
Universities and Institutes of Technology
4
Entry Requirements for PLC
Courses
• Usually 5 OD3 in the Leaving Cert and an
interview
• Some minimum subject requirements may
apply
• There are links to progress to Level 6, 7 and 8
in Institutes of Technologies and Universities
• Higher Education Links Scheme
• CAO FETAC Search Facility
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Higher Education Institutes
(HEI)
• 45 HEIs – Universities, Institutes of Technology
(IoT), art colleges, specialist colleges and some
private colleges
• Applications administered by CAO
• Approximately 1300 courses
• Where I can find more information –
www.qualifax.ie (Useful Tools / Minimum
Subject Requirements) and
www.careersportal.ie (What to Study / Leaving
Cert Subjects)
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Entry Requirements to HEI
1. Minimum Entry Requirements
2. Specific Course Entry Requirements (Specific
subject requirement and may also involve
interview, audition, portfolios etc)
3. Points
EXAMPLE:
Nursing in NUIG will require:
1 2HC3 and 4OD3 (Include Irish, English, Maths)
2 A science subject
3 450* points
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Examples of Course Requirements
• HC3 in Irish – Primary School Teaching
• HC3 in Maths – Some Engineering and
Computer Science degrees
• HC3 in Chemistry – Veterinary Medicine (UCD),
Human Nutrition and Dietetics (DIT),
• One laboratory science subject* required for
most science / healthcare related courses
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Interesting to note
• Art is generally not needed for Art and Design
courses, but a portfolio may be required
• Business or Accounting are generally not
required for Business courses, but Maths may
be
• Music courses generally require an audition, but
not the LC subject Music
• General subjects like History, Geography can
be taken up at third level without doing them for
the LC
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CAO Points System
• Points are allocated to the six best grades of an
applicant
• These grades must be achieved in one sitting of
the LC
• All subjects carry equal points except LCVP
• The points level varies from year to year
• CAO Leaving Cert Points Grid
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LC Points Calculation Grid
LCVP points awarded:
Distinction (>80%)=70 pts, Merit (65-79% )=50 pts and Pass (50-64%) =30 pts
Until 2015 25 bonus points will be added to the points score for Leaving
Certificate Higher Level Mathematics (Grade D3 or above).
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Leaving Certificate Programme
• 4 compulsory core subjects
 Maths, English, Irish French or German
• 3 elective additional subjects
 The Science Group
 The Business Group
 The Social and Humanities Group
 The Arts
• 1 optional additional subject
 LCVP
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3 Elective Additional Subjects
The Science Group
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
The Business Group
• Business
• Accounting
Social and Humanities Group
• Geography
• History
• Home Economics
The Arts Group
• Art
• Music
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1 Optional Additional Subject
• Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
(LCVP)
• A two year programme designed to enhance
the vocational dimension of the traditional LC
• Students are assessed through a combination
of portfolio items (60%) and written examination
(40%)
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Eligibility to take LCVP
• Must study 5 LC subjects (one of which must be
Irish unless Department of Education exempt)
plus the Link Modules,
• Two Link Modules: Preparation for the World of
Work and Enterprise Education
• A recognised course in a Modern European
Language
• Two qualifying vocational subject groupings as
set out by the Dept of Education and Skills
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LCVP - Vocational Subject
Groupings
•
Home Economics and Biology
•
Biology and Chemistry
•
Home Economics and Art
•
Biology and Physics
•
Home Economics and Business
•
Art and Business
•
Home Economics and
•
Art and Accounting
Accounting
•
Music and Business
•
Accounting and Business
•
Music and Accounting
•
Physics and Chemistry
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Advice on Subject Choice:
1. Do what comes naturally – relate to aptitude
2. Choose subjects for enjoyment
3. Check course requirements – changes from year
to year
4. Students need to know the difference between
‘Required’ and ‘Useful’ subjects
5. Seek advice from guidance counsellor, teachers,
friends, parents / guardians and students in 5th
and 6th year
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When choosing subjects
Don’t choose a subject…
1. …because a friend is taking it
2. …because of the teacher
3. …because it is an easy option
4. …because it looks good
5. …without researching it thoroughly
Don’t make a last minute decision – consider all
options!
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General Advice
• If your daughter is not sure what they want to
do in the future, pick a broad range of subjects
in order to keep options open:
EXAMPLE: Sinead has no idea at the moment
4 core + 1 science + 1 business + 1 humanities
• If your daughter is sure that she wants to study
in a specific area after school then research the
minimum and specific entry requirements
carefully
EXAMPLE: Mary wants to study Pharmacy
4 core + 1 or 2 Science + free choice
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Resources
• Qualifax (Irish courses)
• UCAS (UK and Northern Ireland)
• Careers Portal
• CAO website
• Examinations.ie
• Curriculumonline.ie
• Friends
• Teachers
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