Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

leaving cert & seven subjects

Options
  • 19-08-2014 9:14pm
    #1
    cena
    Registered Users Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭


    Why in Ireland do leaving cert students have to study 7 subjects to sit the exams?
    Is it to much to study seven subjects for state exams.

    I feel we could lose a few subjects, it would give students time to study the subjects.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    thee glitz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,294 ✭✭✭thee glitz


    I dunno, I did 6.


  • Options
    #3
    Grayson
    Registered Users Posts: 16,133 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    Then we wouldn't be giving students a broad education


  • Options
    #4
    Ficheall
    Registered Users Posts: 9,020 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    I did 8. All honours - had more than enough time to study the subjects.

    2 As, 4Bs, and then a C in Maths and a D in Applied Maths.

    I'm now doing maths research for a living.
    I should have taken the ****ing hint.


  • Options
    #5
    pajor
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭pajor


    Most people in my school did 8, I did 7.

    Free class in the library everyday, why not? :cool:


  • Options
    #6
    cena
    Registered Users Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭cena


    Some people struggle with that many subjects and they may not do as well if they had less subjects they could do better..

    I could be wrong.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    rainbow kirby
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 26,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭rainbow kirby


    I did 8 so I could drop to pass Irish - the A1 in applied maths was a lot more useful!


  • Options
    #8
    jamo2oo9
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭jamo2oo9


    Look at UK, they have A-Levels where they only study 3 subjects of their choice for the exams that they can do to relate to the course they would want to do in college. Personally, I prefer to have that kind of system in Ireland as it would alleviate the massive pressure we get for the LC


  • Options
    #9
    Ficheall
    Registered Users Posts: 9,020 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    jamo2oo9 wrote: »
    Look at UK, they have A-Levels where they only study 3 subjects of their choice for the exams that they can do to relate to the course they would want to do in college. Personally, I prefer to have that kind of system in Ireland as it would alleviate the massive pressure we get for the LC

    So the kids would be about 15 when deciding what path they wanted to pursue in life? I still don't know what I want to study when I grow up, and I'm 27.


  • Options
    #10
    everdead.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 9,153 ✭✭✭everdead.ie


    jamo2oo9 wrote: »
    Look at UK, they have A-Levels where they only study 3 subjects of their choice for the exams that they can do to relate to the course they would want to do in college. Personally, I prefer to have that kind of system in Ireland as it would alleviate the massive pressure we get for the LC
    Really in the UK they say look at Ireland thy don't have to decide what they want to do in college at 15/16 and get a broader fuller education.


  • Options
    #11
    jamo2oo9
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭jamo2oo9


    By the time you're 15, you will have some form of interest in a subject and they could work their way from there.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    shruikan2553
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    They will be doing about that many subjects in college anyway. At most I would only count the top 4-5 but that would just cause point inflation all round.

    I did 8 subjects so I didn't get stuck with doing LCVP.


  • Options
    #13
    Tokyo
    Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,655 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    I didn't think it was obligatory to do 7 - I know of people I was in school with that did 6. I happened to do more than 7, so it depends on the individual really and what they are comfortable with.

    Other countries have taken the approach of reducing core subjects in school - Australia being a good example - and it's shocking the lack of knowledge that schoolkids (and graduates) have, because they were no longer receiving a well balanced education.


  • Options
    #14
    Grayson
    Registered Users Posts: 16,133 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    Ficheall wrote: »
    So the kids would be about 15 when deciding what path they wanted to pursue in life? I still don't know what I want to study when I grow up, and I'm 27.

    I figured out when I was in my 30's :)


  • Options
    #15
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    It's not obligatory to do 7, you only need 6 for points.


  • Options
    #16
    Ficheall
    Registered Users Posts: 9,020 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    jamo2oo9 wrote: »
    By the time you're 15, you will have some form of interest in a subject and they could work their way from there.

    Really? What did you want to do when you were 15?


  • Options
    #17
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    I don't think it's obligatory but most places would fairly insist on it so you'll have a back up


  • Options
    #18
    Motivator
    Registered Users Posts: 2,751 ✭✭✭Motivator


    cena wrote: »
    Why in Ireland do leaving cert students have to study 7 subjects to sit the exams?
    Is it to much to study seven subjects for state exams.

    I feel we could loss a few subjects, it would give students time to study the subjects.

    Was foundation English one of your subjects by any chance?


  • Options
    #19
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    I wish I could have done more than seven tbh.


  • Options
    #20
    jamo2oo9
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭jamo2oo9


    Ficheall wrote: »
    Really? What did you want to do when you were 15?

    Either Architecture or Aeronautical Engineering. Knew I needed to do Tech Drawing, Maths and Engineering. Considered Art but it was in the same group as Tech Drawing.


  • Options
    #21
    daviecronin
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭daviecronin


    Sher its not even compulsory you do 6 anyways


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    cena
    Registered Users Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭cena


    Motivator wrote: »
    Was foundation English one of your subjects by any chance?

    ????


  • Options
    #23
    Tarzana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭Tarzana


    Grayson wrote: »
    Then we wouldn't be giving students a broad education
    Ficheall wrote: »
    So the kids would be about 15 when deciding what path they wanted to pursue in life? I still don't know what I want to study when I grow up, and I'm 27.
    everdead.ie wrote: »
    Really in the UK they say look at Ireland thy don't have to decide what they want to do in college at 15/16 and get a broader fuller education.

    If you do four A-Levels across a range of subjects, you're still getting a broad education and much more in-depth than the LC. The subjects don't need to be closely related.


  • Options
    #24
    Mint Aero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,570 ✭✭✭Mint Aero


    We've a stupid system to be fair. Doing the same subjects from birth practically until adulthood. English, Irish, Maths in primary continuing through to secondary then a clusterf*ck of nonsense like Science, History, Tech Graph, Business Studies etc and bolox notion have we of any of them. What's the god dammed point of it all?? It's madness.


  • Options
    #25
    cena
    Registered Users Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭cena


    Mint Aero wrote: »
    We've a stupid system to be fair. Doing the same subjects from birth practically until adulthood. English, Irish, Maths in primary continuing through to secondary then a clusterf*ck of nonsense like Science, History, Tech Graph, Business Studies etc and bolox notion have we of any of them. What's the god dammed point of it all?? It's madness.

    Tech graph should be turned into auto cad. Its how most drawings are these days.

    History wasn't a subject in school. Headmaster thought it was an waste as you could get it on the internet


  • Options
    #26
    jamo2oo9
    Registered Users Posts: 5,780 ✭✭✭jamo2oo9


    Here are the subjects I think we should have available in secondary schools,
    CAD
    Programming
    Law (not advanced like college stuff but basic stuff that everyone should know about like how the system works)
    Electronics (I'm not sure if this is same as Technology?)


    I'm sure there would be more that could be beneficial to students in deciding what they want to do instead of your core subjects, English, Irish and Maths.


  • Options
    #27
    Dave0301
    Registered Users Posts: 2,473 ✭✭✭Dave0301


    Tarzana wrote: »
    If you do four A-Levels across a range of subjects, you're still getting a broad education and much more in-depth than the LC. The subjects don't need to be closely related.

    This is one misconception that I have found since starting to teach in England. The course content at A - Level is not that much more in depth than Leaving Certificate. I can only speak for the subjects I teach, but they also include aspects of coursework that is omitted in Ireland.


  • Options
    #28
    Tarzana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭Tarzana


    Dave0301 wrote: »
    This is one misconception that I have found since starting to teach in England. The course content at A - Level is not that much more in depth than Leaving Certificate.

    When it comes to biology and chemistry, the UK students in my undergrad (science) were much more advanced than the Irish students. Their A-Levels were on a par with what we learned in first year. Not so for LC biology and chemistry. So for these subjects at least, it's not a misconception.

    And for application to UK universities, LC subjects and A-Levels aren't considered equal. LC subjects would be like a bridge between GCSE and A-Level.


  • Options
    #29
    JohnMearsheimer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,302 ✭✭✭JohnMearsheimer


    I repeated my Leaving. I ended up doing 10 different subjects between the two of them. Irish, English, Maths, French, History, Geography, Economics, Classical Studies, Biology and Agricultural Science. I like the broad subject choice in Ireland and the fact that we don't limit ourselves to 3 subjects. I think it makes for a more well rounded education. My strength was humanities in school but I also managed to squeeze in a bit of science.


  • Options
    #30
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    I did 8 subjects but it was too much and I probably should have dropped 1 if not 2 of them
    cena wrote: »
    Tech graph should be turned into auto cad. Its how most drawings are these days.

    History wasn't a subject in school. Headmaster thought it was an waste as you could get it on the internet
    Tech graph is already being turned into auto cad etc. Tech drawing at leaving cert level is DCG and they do some work with cad.
    jamo2oo9 wrote: »
    Here are the subjects I think we should have available in secondary schools,
    CAD
    Programming
    Law (not advanced like college stuff but basic stuff that everyone should know about like how the system works)
    Electronics (I'm not sure if this is same as Technology?)


    I'm sure there would be more that could be beneficial to students in deciding what they want to do instead of your core subjects, English, Irish and Maths.
    Cad is part of DCG at leaving cert level and Is their not a new subject coming into secondary level or supposed to be added to second level curriculum
    Is their not meant to be a new subject about politics etc at leaving cert level and would that not cover similar enough material as any Law subject you might introduce


  • Advertisement
Advertisement