Programme Information

Course Rationale

The Leaving Certificate Applied is a distinct, self-contained two-year Leaving Certificate. It is designed for those students who do not wish to proceed directly to third level education or for those whose needs, aspirations and aptitudes are not adequately catered for by the traditional Leaving Certificate. The fundamental goal of the Leaving Certificate Applied is to prepare students for transition from the world of the school to that of adult and working life.

The programme sets out to recognise the talents of all students and to provide opportunities for developing personal responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge and helps students apply what they learn to the real world. The Leaving Certificate Applied is characterised by educational experiences of an active, practical and student-centred nature.

The Leaving Certificate Applied consists of a range of courses, each designed on a modular basis. A module is of thirty hours duration. Each year of the two-year programme is divided into two semesters, September to January and February to June, to facilitate the modular structure of the courses. A module within a given course is usually completed within a semester. Over the two-year duration of the programme the participants will complete 44 modules.

Course Structure

The Leaving Certificate Applied is structured around three main elements :

• Vocational Preparation,
• Vocational Education
• General Education

which are inter-related and interdependent.
Participants are required to take courses in each of the following areas:

• Vocational Preparation
• Vocational Preparation & Guidance
• English and Communication

Vocational Education

Vocational Specialism – 2 courses
Mathematical Applications
Introduction to Information & Communication Technology

General Education

• • Social Education
  • Gaeilge
  • Modern European Language
  • Arts Education (Drama, Music, Visual Art)
  • Leisure and Recreation
  • Elective Module
  • With regard to the vocational specialism, the list of options is as follows:
  • Childcare/Community Care
  • Graphics and Construction Studies
  • Craft and Design
  • Engineering
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Hair and Beauty
  • With regard to the elective module students may take a subject not already chosen as a specialism.

Assessment and Certification

A. Module Completion

At the end of each Session the student will be credited on satisfactory completion of the appropriate modules. In order to be awarded credit students must Attend the classes and out-of-school activities related to the modules and complete the key assignments related to the module. A minimum attendance of 90% is required. Where absence is due to illness, the student should supply a medical certificate to the school authorities.

B. Student Tasks
As part of the Leaving Certificate Applied students undertake a number of tasks, which are set and examined over the two years of the programme. These tasks, which are examined by the Department of Education and Science, are practical activities, which allow students, individually or in teams, to apply classroom experience to real-life situations.

C. External Examinations
At the end of Year 2 participants will take written examinations in the following areas:

• English and Communication
• Vocational Specialisms (2)
• Mathematical Applications
• Gaeilge
• Modern European Language
• Social Education

A participant may accumulate a maximum of 200 credits. When the credits are compiled final results are given as Pass, Merit or distinction.

Who accepts Leaving Certificate Applied

• Post Leaving Courses
• FAS Apprenticeships
• Fáilte Ireland
• Gardai
• Department of Local Government (where 5 Ds in the traditional Leaving Certificate is a requirement
• AIB Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Citybank, Irish Life.
• IBEC
• ESB apprenticeships