Leaving Certificate Fact Sheet
The Leaving Certificate has three distinct streams of study:
q The Leaving Certificate (established)
q The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)
q The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
1. Leaving Certificate Applied
The advantage of the LCA is that it focuses on the talents of each individual student and helps students apply what they learn in the real world. The two-year programme consists of four half-year blocks called sessions and achievements are credited in each of these sessions.
Students are required to complete a series of modules.
1. Vocational Preparation
This module prepares students for the future workplace. Subjects studied are: English and Communications, Job Search and Guidance. Participants are also placed on work experience twice a year for a period of two weeks.
2. Vocational Education
This module encourages students to develop their practical skills by studying maths, information technology, hotel catering and tourism, community care, and construction.
3. General Education
This module includes a modern European language, Irish, Leisure Studies, and Social Education. Note that the European language courses are designed for complete beginners.
4. Tasks
Students must also undertake seven tasks during the two-year programme. Tasks are similar to projects. All tasks are based in a particular subject and are completed in the classroom with the assistance of the teacher. These tasks are assessed by the Department of Education, and the credits that are awarded to the students are carried forward to make up a percentage of their final year marks.
Accumulating Credits
A credit is the term used by the Department of Education for the marking of the LCA. Below is an outline of the credits for the Leaving Certificate Programme.
Completion of course modules 62 credits (31%)
Tasks 70 credits (35%)
Final examination 68 credits (34%)
The final year examinations are taken in the second year of the course. The overall results of the LCA awarded by the Department of Education are graded as follows:
Pass - 120 – 139 credits = 60 – 69%
Merit - 140 – 169 credits = 70 – 84%
Distinction - 170 – 200 credits = 85 – 100%
The LCA may be used to gain entry to:
· Teagasc run programmes
· The Foundation Certificate of the Marketing Institute of Ireland
· CERT courses of 1 or 2 year duration such as Cookery courses and Bar Skills courses
· The Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI) accept the LCA provided it is awarded at distinction level
· The DIT Links Scheme accepts the LCA provided that the subjects taken are relevant to the DIT course being applied for
· The LCA may also be used to gain entry to FAS apprenticeship programmes
In addition, the LCA is recognised by a number of state organisations as an acceptable qualification for entry to:
· Aer Lingus
· Clerical Officer positions in Local Authorities
· Health Boards
· The Civil service
· The Garda Siochana
· Several Banks. Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank accept the LCA awarded with distinction and National Irish Bank accepts the LCA awarded with distinction or merit.
2. Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)
The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) is an intervention designed to enhance the vocational dimension of the Leaving Certificate (established).
The programme requirements for students taking the Leaving Certificate Examination in 2004 are:
· At least five Leaving Cert subjects, one of which must be Irish
· Two of the above subjects must be selected from one of the designated Vocational Subject Groupings
· Two Link Modules: Preparation for the World of Work and Enterprise Education
· A recognised course in a Modern European Language other than Irish or English
Vocational Subject Groupings (VSG’s)
Two subjects are selected from one of the Vocational Subject Groupings.
Specialist Groupings
1. Construction Studies or Engineering or Technical Drawing (any two)
2. Physics and Construction Studies or Engineering
3. Agricultural Science and Construction Studies or Engineering
4. Agricultural Science and Chemistry or Physics or Physics & Chemistry (combined subject)
5. Home Economics and Agricultural Science or Biology
6. Home Economics and Art
7. Accounting or Business or Economics (any two)
8. Physics and Chemistry
9. Biology and Agricultural Science
10. Biology and Chemistry or Physics or Physics & Chemistry (combined)
Services Groupings
11. Engineering and Business or Accounting or Economics
12. Construction Studies and Business or Accounting or Economics
13. Home Economics and Business or Accounting or Economics
14. Agricultural Science and Business or Accounting or Economics
15. Art and Business or Accounting or Economics
16. Music and Business or Accounting or Economics
Students taking the Leaving Certificate Examination in 2004 will follow two Link Modules over the course of the two years.
Link Module 1 – Preparation for the World of Work
Students will research and investigate local employment opportunities, develop job seeking skills such as letter writing, CV presentation, interview techniques; gain valuable practical experience of the world of work; interview and work shadow a person in a career area that interests them.
Link Module 2 – Enterprise Education
Students will be involved in organising visits to local business and community enterprises; meet and interview enterprising people on-site and in the classroom; plan and undertake interesting activities that will build self-confidence, creativity, initiative and develop teamwork, communication and computer skills.
Assessment of Link Modules
LCVP students follow the same subject syllabi and are assessed in the same way as their peers in the Leaving Cert. For the link modules they are assessed by written examination (40%) and by Portfolio of Coursework (60%).
LCVP students receive the same certificate as other Leaving Certificate students but their certificate includes an additional statement of the results of the link modules.
The link modules are recognised in points terms by the Institutes of Technology and the Universities. Grades for the link modules are as follows:
Grade Percent I.T.’s Universities / D.I.T.
Distinction 80 – 100% 70 points 50 points
Merit 65 – 79% 50 points 40 points
Pass 50 – 64% 30 points 30 points
3. Leaving Certificate (Established)
Students normally study six or seven subjects during the Senior Cycle. Students should take note of subjects that they may need for the third-level courses of their choice. For example, to get a place in one of the universities that make up the National University of Ireland, a person must meet a minimum entry requirement of 6 subjects, including English, Irish and a third language, two of which must be at Grade C on a higher level paper.
Sitting the Leaving Certificate Established
If a student is enrolled as a post-primary school student, the person’s details will be sent to the State Exams Commission by the school. However, if the person is an external candidate (non-school) for the Leaving Certificate, the person should send their application directly to the State Examinations Commission by the closing date specified. Application forms for the established Leaving Certificate and full details may be had from:
State Examinations Commission
Cornamaddy
Athlone
Co. Westmeath
(0902) 74621
Options for External Candidates
External candidates who wish to sit a single Leaving Certificate subject or the full Leaving Certificate have several options available to them.
1. They can contact their local secondary school directly and ask to attend classes with existing Leaving Certificate students. The school is not obliged to accept such a request. However, schools will normally consider such a request on a case-by-case basis. The level at which the candidate wishes to study i.e. Ordinary or Higher Level, the age and motivation of the person and the likely disruption to existing students are all factors that the school will consider.
2. The candidate can attend a private college. Several private schools operate in the cities of Limerick and Galway. The candidate can pay to attend such a school and sit his/her exam when ready.
3. The candidate can obtain “grinds”. This entails hiring a private tutor locally who will teach the candidate on a one-to-one basis or as part of a small group outside of the secondary school system. The candidate is responsible for submitting his/her application to the State Examinations Commission. The Commission will select and inform the candidate of the centre in which they will sit the exam.
4. In some cases, the candidate may be accepted onto a Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) programme where two or more subjects are available for study. The two subjects offered are typically Maths and English. The candidate may also find it possible to complete one or more Leaving Certificate subjects as part of the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) programme they are attending. For example, Limerick Adult Education College offers six Leaving Certificate subjects as part of its VTOS programme:
· English – Ordinary & Higher Level
· Maths – Foundation & Ordinary Level
· Business – Ordinary Level
· Economics – Ordinary Level
· History – Ordinary Level
· Art – Ordinary & Higher Level
Youthreach programmes also offer participants the opportunity to complete a full Leaving Certificate.
5. The candidate can study the subject via distance learning. Kilroy’s College offer a wide range of subjects at Ordinary and Higher Level. However, the following points should be noted:
· The college does not provide supervised classes for the practical elements of the Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Home Economics courses
· The candidate is responsible for submitting his/her application to the State Examinations Commission. The Commission will select and inform the candidate of the centre in which they will sit the exam.
Careers where specific Leaving Certificate subjects are required
Individuals who wish to pursue a career in primary school teaching should obtain a minimum of Grade C on the Higher Level Papers in Irish. However, candidates who do not meet the Irish language requirement may be able to enrol in first Arts and study Irish before enrolling in the Bachelor of Education course.
Individuals who wish to pursue careers as barristers or solicitors must also pass the Irish exam administered by the Law Society before they will be admitted to these professions.
Various third level courses also specify the minimum grades to be achieved to gain entry to these courses. The individual college prospectus will list specific subject requirements. For example, some engineering degrees require candidates to pass Higher Level mathematics.
Alternatives to completing the Leaving Certificate
Mature students (over 23 years of age) have a range of options available to them should they wish to pursue further or higher education. Many universities and institutes of technology reserve a percentage of their first year places for mature students. Hence, mature students can sometimes be admitted directly to the course of their choice by virtue of their age, motivation and prior work experience.
There are also further education routes into higher education.
Degree Degree Degree
HND BTEC Diploma
FETAC 3 National
Cert.
FETAC 2
Further Institute of University
Education Technology
As the figure demonstrates, it is possible for FETAC 2 graduates to gain admittance to third level courses through the higher education links scheme. In addition, NUI colleges such as UCC are now considering applications to specified degree programmes from applicants who achieve five or more distinctions in their FETAC 2 studies.
Other than the routes specified above, the Open University offers a range of certificate, diploma and degree programmes in fields suited to the distance-learning mode. The Irish equivalent ‘Oscail’, also offers two undergraduate degree streams in humanities and information technology.
October 2003. Compiled by Clare Adult Learners Guidance Service (CALGS). Sources of information used include The Department of Education and Science Web site. Although every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in the sheet is accurate, readers should check with the appropriate organisations for the latest information. CALGS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in this document or for any actions arising from its use.