5th Year Subject Choice Guide

The 5th Year Subject Choice process will begin soon, and TY students now need to start thinking about which subjects they might like to study for the Leaving Certificate.

This decision can be a difficult one for many students, so we have put together some resources that we hope you and your daughter will find useful. We want all parents, guardians and students to be aware of all the steps involved in the process and to understand what you will need to do at each step. We also want both you and your daughter to feel confident in the choices you make together, using the resources we have made available to you.

Please note that the 5th Year Subject Information Meeting has now been rescheduled to Tuesday 21 March at 7 pm.

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

KEY DATES FOR SUBJECT CHOICE

SUBJECT INFORMATION BOOKLET

EVENTS

SUBJECT CHOICE FAQ

Key Dates

Monday 30 January	Subject Ambassador Fair
30 January to 3 February	TY Subject Taster Week
Wednesday 8 February	Subject Preference Phase begins
Wednesday 22 February	Subject Preference Phase ends
Tuesday 21 March	5th Year Info Meeting
Monday 27 March at 10 am	Final Subject Choice Phase opens
Friday 31 March at 4 pm	Final Subject Choice Phase closes

Subject Information Booklet

This booklet, compiled by our teachers, gives information about each subject's syllabus at Leaving Cert.

This is a great resource to learn more about the wide variety of subjects offered here in Alexandra College during Senior Cycle.

Subject Information Booklet 2023/2024

How does the subject choice process work for 5th Year?

We organise the subject choice process into two phases in order to accurately gauge interest in different subjects each year. Each individual cohort of 5th Year students has different preferences, and this process allows us to create timetable blocks which cater to each specific year group.

Phase 1 - Preference Phase

The first phase consists of the subject preference phase - this is simply a preliminary survey of interest in the subjects we offer in Alex. In order for a subject to run, there must be sufficient interest from students (a minimum of 6 students must indicate interest in Phase 1). This phase is not your final subject choice. We will ask for 5 subject preferences from each student in this phase; please note that when the final subject choice form is distributed, students will be asked to choose only 4 subjects unless they have an exemption from the study of Irish.

Phase 1 will open on Wednesday 8 February at 10 am. Incoming students will be asked to complete this process via our website, while current students will be asked to complete this process with their parents via VSware, our student database. For guidance on how to access and complete student options on VSware, please refer to our walkthrough of the process here.

Phase 2 - Final Subject Choices

The preferences of students from Phase 1 of this process will allow the College to create the option blocks for 5th Year 2023/2024. Students and parents will have the opportunity to learn more about university requirements and ask questions prior to their final subject choices at our 5th Year Information meeting (more information below).

All students will be sent the subject choice form to be completed via our website, which will go live on Monday 27 March at 10 am. Subject choices in this phase will be first come first served.

Please note, it is likely that not every subject listed will be included on the subject choice forms, and not all subject combinations will be possible, as Phase 1 will indicate the demand for each subject amongst this particular cohort of students.

Should you have any queries related to the subject choice process or if you are having trouble accessing your parental VSware account, please contact the College for assistance.

Subject Ambassador Fair and Subject Taster Week

On Monday 30 January, current TY students will have the opportunity to speak with 5th Year students about the subjects offered at Leaving Cert at our Subject Ambassador Fair. They’ll have the opportunity to learn more about each subject from students currently studying them, as well as a chance to hear about subjects they may not have previously considered.

Following the Subject Ambassador Fair, TY students will have the opportunity to attend LC classes as part of our Subject Taster week; students should contact the subject coordinator to arrange a taster visit. If a student is missing a class, they must inform their teacher that they are tasting a subject.

5th Year Information Meeting

This meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday 21 March at 7 pm.

Parents and students are invited to our 5th Year Information Meeting. At this meeting, the College Guidance Counsellor will go over subject choices, university requirements, and the CAO process. We will also be reviewing Phase 2 in the subject choice process so that parents and students can ask any remaining questions prior to making their final subject choices.

Subject Choice FAQ

What subjects are available for me to take at Leaving Cert?

Modern Languages

French
German
Italian
Spanish
Mandarin Chinese

Sciences

Agricultural Science
Applied Maths
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Physics

Social Studies

Art (with Design option)
Classical Studies
Geography
History
Home Economics
- Scientific and Social
- Textiles
Latin
Music
Physical Education
Politics & Society
Religious Education

Business Studies

Accounting
Business
Economics

The final list of subjects to be run next year will depend on Phase 1 of the subject choice process, so be sure to select your preferences carefully!

How should I choose my subjects?

The core subjects for the Irish Leaving Certificate are Mathematics, English and Irish (unless you are exempt and hold a valid certificate of Exemption from the Study of Irish). Irish universities also have a language requirement, so when choosing subjects, your first choice should be one of our language options - French, German, Italian, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. The only exceptions to this are for those who have a full languages exemption, or those who are planning on sitting the Leaving Certificate exam in a language other than those taught at the College (check the NCCA website for the languages available as Leaving Certificate exams).

After this, you should check the specific requirements for the university courses you think you might like to apply for. If you have any questions related to university course requirements, these should be directed to Mary Earlie, the College’s Guidance Counsellor.

The majority of students will study 7 subjects for the Leaving Certificate, as the points for only the 6 highest grades achieved will be used to determine the number of CAO points awarded.

Why didn't my favourite subject end up on my timetable?

While the College encourages students to choose the subjects they are most interested in studying, we are unable to run a subject if fewer than 6 students choose to study it. It may be possible that only 5 students indicate preference for that subject in Phase 1, and so that subject does not appear on the form in Phase 2. It is also possible that more than 6 students indicate interest in studying that subject in Phase 1, but only 3 select it in Phase 2 and that subject cannot be run.

Please note that once the blocks have been finalised in Phase 2, we cannot add additional subjects to the timetable; it is vital that if you are interested in a subject that you indicate it in Phase 1.

I’ve chosen a subject and the class is going ahead, so why is it not on my timetable?

It is also possible that a subject may be oversubscribed, meaning that more students want to study it than there are spaces available. If this happens, places in the class will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Those who have not been allocated a place will be asked to choose an alternative subject in that block and their names will be added to a waiting list for the class which is full.