1. Implications of Subject Choice

2. Agenda
To examine the importance of Effective Subject Choice by looking at:
Higher Education System - NFQ
General college requirements
Specific course requirements
To explain the procedure of subject choice
Questions & ( hopefully !) Answers

3. Subject Choice Important Decision for each student
Some students fail to realise the significance because the L.C. seems so far away

4. National Framework Of Qualifications
The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
Have you seen this ‘fan’ diagram before?

5. New National Framework of Qualifications
Why? – Compare qualifications internationally/job mobility
Levels 1 –10
Junior Cert = Level 3
Leaving Cert = Level 4 / 5
Higher Cert = Level 6 (2 years)
Ordinary Degree = Level 7 (3 years)
Honours Degree = Level 8 (3/4 years)

6. Education & Training Levels10
HETAC
Doctorate 9
Masters 8
Degree (Hons) 7
Degree (Ord.) 6
FETAC L6
Higher Certificate 5
FETAC / SEC
Leaving Cert 4 3
SEC
Junior Cert 2 1
HND

7. Universities - Only Offer Level 8 Honours Degrees
TCD
UCD
DCU
NUI, Maynooth
UCC
NUI Glaway UL
*UU & Queens

8. Institutes of Technology (IT’s)
Offer a wide variety of courses at different levels:
Higher Certificate Level 6 (2 years)
Ordinary Degree Level 7 (3 years)
Honours Degree Level 8 (3/4/5 years)
Athlone Blanchardstown
Carlow Cork
Dublin Dundalk
Dun Laoghaire Galway
Letterkenny Limerick
Sligo Tallaght
Tralee Waterford

9. Other Colleges Some Examples
National College of Art and Design
American College Dublin
Dublin Business School
Shannon College of Hotel Management
Griffith College Dublin

10. Requirements for Higher Education
General Matriculation Requirements
Course Specific Subject requirements
Points

11. General Matriculation Requirements
Six subjects for Degree level, 2 or 3 at Honours level - Universities
Five subjects at Ordinary level for Higher Certificate/Ordinary Degree to include Maths and Irish or English – Institutes of Technology

12. Matriculation / Minimum Entry Requirements Cont’d
Maths, English & Irish - most commonly required.
Some require a Third Language
Of the 44 3rd Level Colleges available through the CAO system – 7 require students to have a Third Language:
1. UCD 2. NUIG 3. UCC 4. NUI Maynooth
5. Shannon College of Hotel Management
6. Royal College of Surgeons
7. St. Angels College Sligo
Language very useful in today’s world!

13. Exceptions to Language Rule
If exempt from Irish or languages in school
Engineering & science courses at NUI Maynooth & Science at UCD
Business in Maynooth
Nursing
NCAD - Art accepted in lieu of language

14. Other Universities
TCD & UL – Maths, English and Irish or a third language.
DCU – Maths and either English or Irish
IMPORTANT– Wide variety of Degree & other courses available that do not require a third language as long as you have Maths & English or Irish

15. Course specific requirements
Many Honours. Engineering/Computer Science Degrees need Higher Maths
Language Courses require an Honours in your chosen language
Courses in Science, Medicine (this includes Physiotherapy, Dentistry, Veterinary, Pharmacy, etc.), Nursing, Architecture and some Engineering courses require 1 or 2 sciences
Honours Chemistry is required for some Medicine & Human Nutrition courses. For dietetics, Dentistry

16. Course Entry Requirements
The Sciences:
Chemistry:
Veterinary & Medicine in UCD
Pharmacy in UCC and Trinity
Dietician in DIT
Dentistry and Medicine in UCC
Physics:
Electronic & Electrical Engineering UCC
Theoretical Physics UCD & Trinity
Biology:
Some Medicine / Veterinary courses
Some Hairdressing and Beautician courses

17. Course Entry Requirements - Sciences
Two Science:
Many Medical, Paramedical & Science related courses in Trinity – Geography recognised as Science for some courses but not Physiotherapy.
Pharmacy, Medicine and Dentistry in UCC.
One science subject is required for the following fields:
Home Economics teaching, Nursing, Medical, Paramedical, Science, Sports Science and Engineering.

18. Examples of Specific Course Requirements
Medicine (UCC)
H4 in Chemistry + HC in Physics or Biology
Music (NUI Maynooth)
H4 in higher level Maths (HC3)
Physiotherapy (RCSI)
H4 in a science subject
Engineering degrees L8
Honours Maths (H4), 1 science subject
Note: Physics is a good indicator for engineering

19. Other courses have no specific requirements
Business subjects are not required for any Business, Commerce or Accountancy courses
Technical Graphics (Now called Design and Communication Graphics) is not an essential requirement for Architecture, Architectural Technician, Engineering or Construction courses 
Art is not an essential subject for Art College, but a portfolio is

20. Points System
All subjects count equally for entry to college or university
Points are calculated from the student’s six best results in one sitting of the Leaving Certificate, maximum 600 points
Entry given to those with the highest points for competitive courses
LCVP is a Senior Cycle Programme of the Department of Education and Science, designed to give a strong vocational dimension to the Leaving Certificate (established).
We have found a small number of students take this option it is dependent on numbers
There is a lot of additional work for the student the completion of a portfolio of work experience and work shadowing

21. Procedure for Subject Choice
Students take four optional exam subjects
Preference form distributed
List six subjects that they wish to take in genuine order of preference
Every effort is made to facilitate students.
If the combination is unavailable they are given their fifth or sixth preference
Note: Limited Resources influence level of choices available!

22. How can you help? Keep all your options open
Be pro-active in their research
Encourage discussion with your parents

23. Its important to: Choose subjects you like
Choose subjects you are good at
Choose subjects you must have if you have a career or course in mind
Choose subjects which would be useful for a particular career
Choose a broad range of subjects e.g. a language, a science subject, a business subject, a humanities / Arts subject

24. Resources

25. Employment Opportunities
Outsourcing – jobs in Logistics
Backoffice – design, sales & marketing
Ageing population – healthcare & pharmaceuticals
Software Development/ICT
Leisure, tourism & recreational
Built environment – surveying, environment & auctioneering
Financial services/Compliance officers
Childcare

26. Summary Check any essential subjects
Choose subjects they like and enjoy
Make a balanced choice e.g.
Irish, English, Maths, Language, Science + 2/3 other subjects
Keep your options open

27. **** REMEMBER ****
If you take nothing else away from tonight remember -
There are consequences to not taking a European Language
There are consequences to not taking a Science subject

28. The World is Your Oyster!