Leaving Cert Subjects
Leaving Cert | Leaving Cert Applied (LCA)
Practical Group
These subjects are 'hands-on' and involve working with tools and machinery on physical things like wood, metals and plastic. They may involve designing, planning and building things.
Science Group
These subjects demonstrate how to explore nature using carefully planned methods, and teach the basic methods and findings of scientific investigation.
Artistic & Creative Group
These subjects involve developing creativity and the appreciation of the work of others. This involves learning the methods and techniques of the subject and producing your own work using these skills.
Humanities Group
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.
Social Group
These subjects explore common issues faced by all people living in society. They develop the skills and knowledge used to manage personal resources and guide human behaviour.
Megan McEvoy, Dancer
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
Aside from English, Irish and maths I did music, French, art and chemistry. I did business studies until the Junior Cert but dropped it then. Although I didn't enjoy business studies I really wish I had kept it on as had I known that I'd be self-employed in the future it would have helped me greatly in terms of tax, loans, self-marketing and starting a business.
Essentially I am now running a small business by being self-employed. While I didn't use French and ended up living in Spain for 4 years I do feel having had a second language in school made picking up Spanish easier for me and I was really willing to learn it. Music of course has helped greatly in my career as there is nothing worse than a dancer who has no sense of musicality. Music has always played a big part in my life and many teachers have commented on my strong sense of musicality through dance.
Ciara Shine , Marketing Manager
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
Business, marketing, digital marketing.
Patrick Kinnaird, Marine Biologist
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
I think it’s important to keep your options broad at school so you remain open to discovering different interests. At first, I didn’t particularly enjoy science, but after one lesson on fish, I realised I actually found it engaging because it connected with my hobbies. From there, my interests developed, from science to biology, then ecology, and eventually marine biology.
That said, I also learned that within any field there will be areas you enjoy more than others. For example, I find the chemistry side of marine biology more difficult to stay interested in, but I recognise its importance for understanding the bigger picture.
Looking back, I feel I chose my subjects well for my career path. The only subject I wish I had taken would be Photography. At the time, I didn’t realise how central it would become to my work, particularly in recording and analysing sightings. But hindsight is always clearer, and overall, I think my choices gave me a strong foundation for where I am now.