1. Options For Senior Cycle 2019/2020
Grennan College
Options For Senior Cycle 2019/2020
This session was accompanied by the 3rd Year Choices presentation (briefly).
Handouts used: Master Chart of Essential Subjects 1 & 2.
CAO Degree list and points
CAO Certificate Diploma list and points
LCVP criteria. Use cleaner version for 2004
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

2. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Career Decisions
Should I do Transition Year (4th Year)?
Should I go to 5th Year?
If 5th Year, which subjects should I choose?
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

3. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Exploring the Options
Looking at subjects and what the different Colleges and Institutes of Technology require.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

4. Hurdles to College Entry
To get a place on a college course a student must have three components;
1. Matriculation Requirements
2.  Subject Requirements. (if applicable)
3.  Points.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

5. 1. Matriculation Requirements
The Matriculation Requirement is the minimum academic qualification for entry that a College demands from an applicant.
The following table sets out these
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

6. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Abbreviations
DCU = Dublin City University
UL = University of Limerick
TCD = Trinity College Dublin
NUI = National University of Ireland
UCD = University College Dublin
UCC = University College Cork
NUIG = National University of Ireland Galway
NUIM = National University of Ireland Maynooth
IT = Institute of Technology
Carlow IT
WIT (Waterford)
LIT (Limerick)
CIT (Cork)
DIT = Dublin Institute of Technology
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

7. General Matriculation Requirements
NUI (For Arts Courses)
UCD
UCC
NUIG
NUIM
Grade H5 in 2 Higher Level subjects and
Grade H7/O6 in 4 higher or Ordinary level subjects which must include
English, Maths & a third European language (For a limited number of courses)
University of Limerick
English, Maths & Irish OR a third European language
Trinity College Dublin
Grade H5 in 3 Higher Level subjects and
Grade H7/O6 in 3 higher or Ordinary level subjects which must include
Dublin City University
(DCU)
Maths & English OR Irish
Institutes of Technology
(e.g. WIT/ IT Carlow)
Maths & English (some courses)
Grade H7/ O6 in 5 Higher or Ordinary Level in 5 subjects (Some courses)
Colleges of Further
Education
(1 Year QQI Courses)
5 subjects at H7/O6 in Higher or Ordinary Level
Must Include Maths and English
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

8. What if I have an exemption from Irish / third European language ?
There are special provisions for students whose dyslexia constitutes a significant learning difficulty.
A student who has been granted an exemption from Irish at school on the grounds of dyslexia, having been assessed by a professional psychologist, should complete Section A and Section D of the Exemption Application form and return it to NUI.
You should enclose a copy of the Psychologist’s Report together with a copy of the Department of Education and Skills Certificate of Exemption. In these cases NUI will grant an exemption from Irish and also from the Third Language requirement.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

9. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
What if I have an exemption from Irish / third European language ? Contd…
Sometimes students are diagnosed late as having dyslexia and have not come to the attention of the National Educational Psychological Service. In these cases, NUI will accept certification from a professional psychologist accompanied by a recent (no more than 3 years old) report from the psychologist. Students should complete Section A and Section E of the Exemption Application Form and return it to NUI enclosing a copy of the Psychologist’s Report and the NUI certification form signed by the Psychologist. Copies of these forms are available from
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

10. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Matriculation
Q:If a student is granted an exemption, does he/she still need six subjects for matriculation? A: Yes every student needs six subjects to matriculate.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

11. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Matriculation
Q: Is the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) acceptable as a subject for Matriculation purposes?
A: No. While LCVP may be used for points purposes, it does not count as one of the six subjects acceptable for matriculation
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

12. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
2. Subject Requirements
Beyond the matriculation/ general entry requirements, particular courses may require grades, at certain levels, in particular subjects.
If you are considering going to any of the colleges of the National University of Ireland (UCD, UCC, NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth RCSI) a third language should be among your chosen subjects for Arts courses which require you to have at least a pass in a third language e.g. French
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

13. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Some Examples
Trinity: Science (Common entry) you must have a H6 or O4 in Maths and a H4 in 2 science subjects
DCU: Engineering (Common entry) you must have a H4 in Maths
B.Sc in Multimedia you must have a H4 in English
WIT: B.Eng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering you must have a H5 or better in a laboratory subject or a technical subject e.g DCG, Construction Studies
NUIM: Media Studies you must have a H4 in English and a pass H6/O6 in French
UCC: Medicine/Dentistry Courses –an H4 in Chemistry and a H4 in either Physics or Biology.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

14. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
3. The Points System
Higher Points 
Points
Ordinary Paper  H1
100 H2 88 H3 77 H4 66 H5 56 O1
 56 H6 46 O2
 46 H7 37 O3
 37 H8 O4
 28 O5
 20 O6
 12 O7  0
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

15. How the Points System Works
· Points are allocated to the six best grades of an applicant.
· These grades must be achieved in one sitting of the Leaving Certificate Examination.
· Entry to a course which is competitive will be granted to those holding the highest number of points.
· The number of points required for any course in any year is not pre-set by any college.
Example :
B.Sc. (Hons) in Agricultural Science (WIT) = 380 points
B.Sc in Physics & Biomedical Science (DCU) = 415 points
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

16. Example An applicant has the following 7 results in 2016
Subject 
Level 
Grade 
Score 
Irish
Higher H4 66
English
Ordinary O1 56
Maths
Higher* H6
46+25=71
French H3 77
Biology
Geography O2 46
History
Add the best six scores, shown in bold. 
Points = 413
*All those who do Higher Maths and pass get an extra 25 points
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

17. Core Subjects at Leaving Cert
Gaeilge
English
Mathematics
Religious Education
Physical Education
ICT Studies
Careers Education
Core + 4 Option Subjects
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

18. 12 Leaving Cert Subjects to choose from
Art
Music
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Construction Studies
Engineering
French
Geography
History
Scientific & Social Home Economics
Design & Communication Graphics
LCVP (if you qualify)
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

19. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
The Core Subjects
Irish
English
Maths
All students take these subjects as they are required for very many courses.
Please Note!
Foundation level Maths & Irish do not count for points or satisfy subject requirements for college courses.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

20. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Irish
Higher Level Irish is required for:
Primary Teaching in Ireland
Undergraduate courses and for the Cadets in the Defence Forces
All NUI College Courses
Note! Nursing in NUI Colleges require Irish
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

21. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
English
English is required for all NUI Courses and almost ALL Third Level Colleges.
Higher Level English is required for courses in Journalism and Media e.g.
Media Studies, NUIM
Communications, DCU & Tallaght IT
Journalism, DCU & DIT
Multi Media, DCU
English, TCD
Clinical Speech, TCD
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

22. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Maths
Ordinary Level Maths is required for almost ALL Third Level courses including Certificate courses in Institutes of Technology (e.g., IT Carlow & WIT).
Higher Level Maths is required for most degrees in;
Engineering
Maths
Finance
Actuary
Science
Medical and Para- Medical courses
Maths is not required for courses which do not involve numerate subjects e.g. Art, Law, Languages.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

23. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
French
A European language is essential for a number of NUI Colleges and RCSI
3rd language or Art is essential for NCAD.
It is useful for careers in Hospitality Industry, Travel & Tourism, Secretarial & Business, Teaching.
It is essential for B.Ed Degrees , Shannon College of Hotel Management, Cadets in the Defence Forces
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

24. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
French
However this rule has been relaxed somewhat e.g.
French is NOT REQUIRED for courses in
(A) Engineering or
(B) Nursing or
(C) Science in NUI Colleges
(D) Business Courses in Maynooth University
DCU, UL & IT’s do not require a European Language except where it is studied as a course subject.
Trinity College requires Irish OR a third European Language
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

25. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Geography
While Geography is not essential for any courses, it is useful for careers in Travel & Tourism, Geology, Meteorology,
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

26. Home Economics (Social & Scientific)
This subject is useful for Teacher training in Home Economics
Also useful for careers in Hospitality Industry, Chef, Nursing, Social Care
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

27. History (Contemporary Course)
Useful for careers in Politics, Journalism, Teaching, Archaeology, Museum Guide, Tourism
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

28. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Business Studies
This subject is useful for 3rd Level College courses in Business, Economics, Finance & Commerce.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

29. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Art
National College of Art & Design require a pass in Art or a 3rd Language.
Portfolio of Artwork is required most Art Colleges and Courses
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

30. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Music
Music is useful for careers in music and music teaching
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

31. Science Subjects Biology & Chemistry
At least one science subject is required for many courses both in University and IT’s.
Biology is essential for careers in
Nursing
Physiotherapy
Dental Hygiene
Higher Level Chemistry is essential for most Science Degrees.
Human Nutrition, Biomedical Science in DIT
Dentistry & Medicine UCC
Veterinary Science, UCD
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

32. The Practical Subjects
Construction Studies
Technical Graphics
Engineering
Useful for apprenticeships and careers in building, Trades, Architecture, Town Planning, Civil Engineering, Electronics, Mechanics
Also required for B.Tech Ed degree in UL for teaching.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

33. Subject Choice Procedure
Students are given an open choice from the following list of 12 subjects.
Art
Music
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Construction studies
Engineering
French
Geography
History
Scientific & Social Home Economics
Design & Communication Graphics
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

34. Subject Choice Procedure Contd..
2. Students preferences are then analyzed and the school attempts to put together the pool of subjects that will benefit as many students as possible.
Not everybody will get their 4 choices!! However, in the last number of years every student has got at least 3 out of 4 of their subject preferences. !!!
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

35. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
The Safe Range
· Irish
· English
· Mathematics
· French
· A Science subject (Chemistry, or Biology,)
· And two other subjects
This is called the “Safe Range” because with this type of choice i.e., which includes a language and a science subject, it leaves all options open when a student comes to choosing a college course in 6th Year.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

36. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Subject Pools L.C. ( )
Biology 1 / Music / DCG/ French 1
Biology 2/ Engineering / Art /Chemistry
Construction/ Business/ French 2
History/ Geography/Home Economics
Students choose one subject from each line
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

37. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Subject Pools L.C. ( )
French/ Business / Art/ Biology
Engineering/ Home Economics/ Biology
French/ Construction / Chemistry/ Home Economics
History/ Geography / Music / DCG
Students choose one subject from each line
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

38. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
The Process
Choice to take Transition Year or Leaving Cert programmes
5th Yr Subjects must be listed in order of preference from 1-4 on VS Ware 11th 13th of March. The facility Midnight on 13th March.
Final Choice Forms give out on Tuesday 19th March to be returned the following day (Wednesday 20th March)
Final Choice Forms to be returned by: Friday 9th March 2019
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

39. Subject Choice - Final Tips
Before you take the plunge…..
Seek advice from older students, siblings
Subject Textbooks
Subject teachers
Choose subjects you like and are good at
Check college requirements
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

40. Choose a Subject (THE TWO GOLDEN RULES)
Because you like it
Because you need it
(5th Year Options)
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College

41. Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College
Some Final Thoughts…….
Remember that the Leaving Certificate requires a great amount of hard work over two years. It is much easier to work hard if you have chosen, in so far as is possible, subjects which you like.
The Leaving Certificate also requires a sense of purpose. It is easier to be motivated if you have a clear goal in your sight e.g. to be accepted for a particular course, to get a good job, etc.
A good level of education can only improve your chances. To do well in the Leaving Certificate also requires some academic ability. Use what you have to its fullest.
These notes are given for your guidance and every effort has been made to see that they are up-to-date and correct at the time of writing. However, as changes may occur, it is your responsibility to check and satisfy yourself that these are the correct requirements for your course choices.
·  Please check relevant college website//prospectus.
Guidance and Counselling Dept. Grennan College