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.
Caitriona Jackman, Planetary Scientist
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
For Leaving Certificate I did the usual English, Irish, Maths, then Physics which I loved, Chemistry which I wasn’t great at (kept breaking stuff in the practicals), French, Geography and Music as an extra. I really enjoyed English actually, and even though a lot of my job involves computer programming and some hard maths and physics, I still rely heavily on my writing skills.
As important as it is to have technical ability in my job, it is still crucial to be able to communicate any results I find. One of the main tasks for me is to write papers for scientific journals, and occasionally to write articles for a more general audience.
My French is also useful because I collaborate with several people from a lab in Paris and they like if I make an effort to speak a bit of French, even though my accent is very embarrassing!
Des Lalor, Wind Engineer
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
Maths, English, Irish, Physics, Tech Drawing, Geography, French
Colm Daly, Hotel Manager
What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
In school, I studied a mix of practical and academic subjects, including Home Economics, Technical Drawing, Woodwork, LCVP, Science, Irish, French, English, and Maths. Each of these has influenced my career in different ways:
• Technical Drawing helped me develop spatial awareness and attention to detail, which I now use when looking at hotel layouts, elevations, and fire plans.
• Home Economics gave me a strong foundation in food safety, kitchen management, and practical organisation, which has been invaluable in food & beverage operations.
• Business-related subjects, including LCVP, Maths, and Science, developed my analytical thinking, problem-solving, and management skills, which are key in running a hotel successfully.
• Languages and communication subjects like English, Irish, and French have helped me communicate effectively with teams and guests from diverse backgrounds. All of these subjects combined to give me a broad skill set that prepared me for a career in hospitality management, where I use practical, analytical, and people skills every day.