Blog Post

How to Choose Leaving Certificate Subjects

RG281947 • 11 February 2025
Selecting Senior Cycle  Subjects

Selecting your best senior cycle subjects to support future career decisions

Making the Right Choices for Your Future

Choosing your Leaving Certificate subjects can feel like a daunting task. At just 15 or 16 years old, you are making decisions that may influence your future education, career, and job opportunities. While it’s important to consider your options carefully, remember that many adults change careers multiple times throughout their lives. The path you choose today is not set in stone, and there are always ways to pivot in the future.



So, how can Irish students make informed, confident decisions about their Leaving Certificate subjects?


Discover What Makes You, You

In my experience working with students and professionals, many people struggle to identify what they truly enjoy and excel at. Some instinctively know what they want but lack the clarity and confidence to commit to their choice.


To support students who feel uncertain, we created the ASIC Career Discovery Model, which helps you uncover what matters most to you by identifying and exploring:


  • Aptitudes – Your natural abilities and the subjects you are curious about.
  • Skills – The skills you have already developed, enjoy using and want to develop.
  • Interests – What you are naturally drawn to and engaged by.
  • Challenges – The problems or opportunities in the world that excite and motivate you.


Uncovering your ASIC requires effort. It takes time, reflection, and research—but it will ultimately help you make more informed decisions and keep your options open for the future.


There are various assessments, tests, and exercises that can help reveal your ASIC. While career interest assessments and aptitude tests can be useful, they should be combined with other factors such as academic performance, learning styles, extracurricular activities, personal values, and long-term goals.


Talking with parents, family members, or trusted friends can also provide valuable insight. Additionally, a career guidance counsellor or career coach can offer independent, professional advice to help clarify your options.


Start with the End in Mind

Once you have a clearer sense of your ASIC, it’s time to think about the future:


  • Consider potential career paths that align with your ASIC. At this stage, you don’t need to pick an exact job title—just explore fields that interest you.
  • Dream big and cast your net wide. Try setting a one-minute timer and writing down ten careers you’ve ever considered, even briefly.
  • Research these careers on websites like careersportal.ie and prospects.ac.uk.
  • Ask yourself:

How do these careers align with my ASIC?

What other related career paths exist?

What skills and qualifications are needed?

What Leaving Certificate subjects would support these career interests?


Balancing your current interests with the requirements for your future career is key.




Work Backwards from Your Goals

Once you’ve identified potential careers, explore the courses and educational pathways that interest you. Reviewing college prospectuses (online or in print) will help you determine which subjects are most relevant and beneficial for your future.


For students aiming for direct entry into college through the CAO system, be aware of these three key hurdles:


  1. Minimum entry requirements for colleges you’re considering.
  2. Essential subjects required for specific courses (if any).
  3. Leaving Certificate points needed for admission.


Some courses also have additional requirements, such as:


  • HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test) for Medicine.
  • Portfolios for Art & Design courses.
  • Practical experience logs for Veterinary Medicine.


Since requirements change regularly, it’s crucial to stay updated by checking course details frequently.





What Senior Cycle Subjects Should I Take To Support My Career Options?

Most Irish students take seven Leaving Certificate subjects at either Higher or Ordinary level, with some opting for an additional subject outside their school timetable. Irish and Mathematics are also available at Foundation level.


There are three compulsory subjects:


  • Mathematics
  • Irish (unless exempt)
  • English


Most students then choose four to five more subjects from the growing list of subject options available through the Department of Education. However, your choices will depend on what your school offers, which can vary based on school size, teacher availability, and student demand.



 


Languages Science Business Applied Science Social Studies
Irish (or exemption)* Mathematics* Accounting Agricultural Science Art
English* Biology Business Construction Studies History
French Chemistry Economics Engineering Geography#~
German Physics LCVP Technology~ Home Economics
Spanish Applied Maths~ Design & Communication Graphics Politics & Society
Greek Physics & Chemistry Computer Science Religious Education
Latin Physical Education Music
Japanese Home Economics Drama, Film & Theatre Studies
Russian Climate Action & Sustainable Development

* Compulsory                                            ~ May be considered a Science subject for some courses


To research each subject further, check Curriculum Online and Careers Portal.


Understanding Subject-Specific Requirements for Course Entry Requirements

Some college courses require specific subjects for entry. Here are a few key examples (not an exhaustive list, so always check individual course requirements):


Honours Maths

It is required for 72 courses (as of 2023), including Mathematics, Data Science, Financial Studies, Economics, and Engineering. 

Not required for Medicine/Health Sciences, but the extra 25 points for passing Honours Maths can be beneficial to maximise CAO points.


Science Subjects

Chemistry – Required for Veterinary (UCD), Pharmacy (TCD, UCC, RCSI), Medicine (UCC, TCD).

Physics – Required for Theoretical Physics (TCD).

Biology – Required for Genetics (UCC), Human Health & Disease (TCD), various Health Science courses (ATU Letterkenny).

Two Sciences? -  Often needed for Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, and Medicinal Chemistry.


European Languages

Some NUI colleges (UCD, UCC, NUIG, Maynooth, RCSI) require a third language (exceptions exist, e.g., Engineering & Ag Science at UCD and Business & Law courses at Maynooth).

UL, DCU, TCD, and technological universities generally don’t require a third language unless applying for a language-focused course.


Irish

A H4 (60-70%) is required for Primary School Teaching (direct entry), though alternative pathways exist, if you are taking Irish at ordinary level. 


Choosing Levels

First of all, this will depend on your ability in each specific subject. Consider your academic results to date and discuss this with your teachers. 

 

For the CAO, your points are calculated based on your best six subjects achieved in one sitting of the leaving certificate. Honours mathematics attracts an additional 25 points (so long as you pass) and this is included in your calculation for the best six subjects. 

The Leaving Certificate points system has changed over the last decade (or more!) and it should also be considered before making decisions on the selected levels of each subject. 


A H5 (50% to 59%) at Higher level attracts the same points, 56, as a O1 (90% to 100%) at Ordinary level, so if you have the ability and are willing to work consistently, you should try to take your subjects are Higher level. 




Balancing Practical’s, Projects, and Study

When selecting subjects, consider the workload. Many subjects have practical or project components that contribute to your final grade. Most languages also include Oral and Aural components, and English and Irish exams have multiple papers.


A teacher recently advised me that students should balance their subject mix to avoid being overwhelmed by multiple projects while also preparing for mocks, oral exams, final exams, and—if applicable—the HPAT (for Medicine) in February.


A good guideline is to choose two, or at most three, subjects with a significant practical/project component. However, with upcoming Senior Cycle curriculum reforms, more subjects will introduce project work.


This table provides a breakdown of the assessment structure for various subjects: 



Subject Project Practical Final Written Exam (one paper)
Agricultural Science 25% 75%
Art 50% 25% 25%
Biology 40% 60%
Business 40% 60%
Chemistry 40% 60%
Computer Science 30% 70%
Construction Studies 25% 25% 50%
Design & Computer Graphics 40% 60%
Engineering 25% 25% 50%
Geography 20% 80%
History 20% 80%
Home Economics 20% 80%
LCVP 60% 40%
Physical Education 20% 30% 50%
Physics 40% 60%
Politics & Society 20% 80%
Religious Education 20% 80%
Technology 50% 50%

Note: the above percentages are based on Higher level and there may be slight adjustments to the percentages for Ordinary level.


Keeping Your Options Open

If you’re unsure about your career path, try to keep your options open by selecting subjects that span multiple disciplines which also build on your favourite subjects from Junior Cycle:


  • Science
  • Business
  • Applied Science
  • Social Science
  • A European language (especially for NUI universities) 



Final Thoughts

Choosing your Leaving Certificate subjects is an important step, but it’s not a final decision on your career.  I’ve worked with students who never took business subject at senior cycle and successfully graduated with a business degree.


Focus on subjects that align with your ASIC, balance workload effectively, and stay informed about entry requirements for college courses. Above all, remain flexible—your future is full of possibilities!



If you’re still unsure, ask questions, seek advice, and research thoroughly—your future self will thank you! 😊


Apprenticeship opportunities in Ireland
by Petrina Mitchell 10 March 2025
Discover the reality of apprenticeships in Ireland! Learn about the benefits, industries, entry requirements, and how to secure an apprenticeship.
4 March 2025
Exploring all different scholarship and bursaries types for third level education in Ireland. Including, Academic Excellence Scholarships, Sports Scholarships, Financial Need-Based Bursaries, Subject-Specific Scholarships and Creative, Cultural & Irish Language Scholarships.
by Petrina Mitchell 8 January 2025
How to empower teenagers make better decisions with strengths-based career guidance
by Petrina Mitchell 13 December 2024
A 3 step process to help leaving certificate students make career and college decisions
by RG281947 22 March 2024
Why should I sign up to a college or professional experience taster-day?
by Petrina Mitchell 28 April 2023
Tips for Parents Struggling to Communicate with their Teenagers about Future Plans
by Petrina Mitchell 22 March 2023
Tips and strategies to help teenagers make the most of college open days
by RG281947 3 February 2023
Tips for Parents to Support Student's Secure their First Job
by Petrina Mitchell 18 January 2021
Over the years, in my role as an in-house Recruiter and HR Director, I’ve seen way too many cv’s generically written. If you cv doesn’t tell an external recruiter or employer what you do, how you do it and what you want to do next; then they will possibly throw your cv to the ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ pile. Many recruiters make their ‘yes - no – maybe’ decision within 10-15 seconds of reading a cv . If you find you are getting calls for interviews to the same type of job year in, year out, or not getting called to interviews at all; then check out the first twenty words on your cv. These first words need to tell recruiters and hiring managers that you are simply, a great match for the job and they need to find out more about you. If you provided these first twenty words to a friend or colleague (without any other detail); would they know it’s you? Can they paraphrase back to you what you do, how you do it and what you want to do next? CV’s need to be clear, succinct, memorable and packed full of enthusiasm. They need to convey your personality too so that you get remembered amongst a sea of applicants. If you want to get your cv taken seriously, here are some cv hacks that will help you redesign your cv and land on the ‘yes’ pile? - Put your personal details, out-of-date qualifications and job information to the end of the cv. Don’t waste their time with this detail at the outset. - Frame your experiences in a way that demonstrates how you meet the qualifications and skills required in the job posting. - When outlining your employment history; start with your most recent job. State your job title, company and then employment dates. Keep the most important information first and put the strongest information / bullet point at the top of each list. - Ensure your dates of employment and education align and if there are significant gaps, address them on the cv or be ready to talk about them at interview. - Know what words and / or phrases pack a punch in your industry and ensure you use them cleverly. Keep your sentences, short, focused and ensure that they capture attention of the reader. - Provide facts, figures and metrics where you can, as these bring more credibility to your achievements. - Write your profile after you have compiled the rest of the cv. A well written profile statement should tell any reader: Who YOU are WHAT you offer in terms of unique skills, knowledge and ability, and What’s NEXT, which can be a target job statement or what your next job / company will look like. - Your profile statement is your elevator pitch so practice speaking it out loud so that it becomes more concise and natural. - Ensure there is plenty of white space and the text is big enough to read quickly. - Check for typos, grammar and use the Read Aloud feature on MS Word to find any incomplete sentences or phrasing. - Share your cv, cover letter and job posting with a friend and ask them for feedback on how you match the job you are applying for. - Save in PDF and format the file name as 'Last Name_First Name_Job Posting' so that it is makes life easier for the recruiter to download and save. Finally, if you need help getting your message right, so that you can stand out from the crowd and get to the ‘yes’ pile, let’s talk so that we can schedule a 90-minute Career Boost session to fire up your job search.
Career discussions with teenagers
by Petrina Mitchell 5 January 2021
How to guide young people to make their best career and college decisions after the Leaving Certificate
Show More
Share by: