The study of History at Junior Cycle aims to enable students to see the relevance of the past in the modern world, allowing them to engage more meaningfully in current local, national and international issues. Students also enjoy learning about interesting human experiences in the past and how they have impacted on and shaped the world we live in today.
History is a compulsory Junior Cycle subject and requires a minimum of 200 hours of learning.
It will help you to better understand the world in which you live. You will gain experience of working with evidence and learn to tell the difference between fact and opinion. History is a very practical subject because it involves learning about people, countries, societies and cultures. History can help you in may different careers, especially those linked with heritage, tourism, research and the environment.
The specification follows three strands of learning:
Strand 1: The Nature of History - where students can develop historical skills and form students as historians
Strand 2: The History of Ireland is the study of historical personalities, issues and events from Irish History
Strand 3: The History of Europe and the Wider World is the study of historical personalities, issues and events from European and World History.
| Number of hours over 3 years | Final Exam | Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) | Assessments Task |
| 200 hrs minimum |
One 2-hour paper Taken at Common level Worth 90% of overall grade |
Two CBAs to be taken over 2nd & 3rd year CBA 1- The Past in My Place CBA 2- A Life in Time |
Students complete a specified written reflection task which is sent to the SEC for marking. Worth 10% of overall grade |
These subjects explore the ways in which humans live and communicate in the world. Human life is examined by looking at our past, our present and into our future. These subjects help people to express themselves clearly and develop their reasoning ability.
This subject builds skills and knowledge that are particularly useful for careers in the following Career Sectors: