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.
Elaine MacDonald, Psychologist - Clinical
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
I like the way that the Irish school system allows students to study a variety of subjects to get a broad base.
I chose a range of subjects including languages (French and Spanish) which allowed me to make friends and really immerse myself in different cultures during my summers abroad.
I feel that Maths helped me to develop my logical mind, and prepared me well for learning to use statistics which are widely used in Clinical Psychology.
Biology was certainly useful to take in school and is relevant to Clinical Psychology because of its focus on how the human body works and how the brain functions.
English was also useful to the role of Clinical Psychologist as report writing skills are used across the board, and good ability to express yourself both verbally and in writing is very important.
I also feel that my involvement in school sports (hockey and swimming) was important in helping me develop into a person who enjoys being part of a team.
Liam Ryan , Rooms Division Manager - Mount Juliet Estate
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
In secondary school, I studied Business and Accounting, which definitely gave me a solid foundation for my career especially when it comes to budgeting, payroll, and understanding the commercial side of hotel operations. I also played team sports, which helped shape me into a strong team player and, over time, a better leader.
One of the great things about hospitality is that so much of the learning happens on the job. It’s an industry that allows you to grow in a way that suits your personality and strengths, whether you’re more guest-facing or operational. Looking back, I’m happy with the choices I made they gave me a good starting point, but the real growth came through hands-on experience
Oonagh Kelly, Head of HR
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
I did my HR degree after I had been working for a few years and think that was a really good decision as I picked up so much more than if I had done it before having any work experience. I qualified as an Executive and Leadership Coach about 18 months ago and I really recommend that as a skillset and toolkit for anyone in my line of work.