Davitt College

LEAVING CERT. APPLIED

The Leaving Certificate Applied is a two-year Leaving Certificate, available to students who wish to follow a practical or vocationally orientated programme. It is one of three Leaving Certificate options offered by the Department of Education and Science.
The word “applied” is used because the programme is designed to allow the students to apply the learning and experiences they gain over the two years of the programme to practical educational tasks at school, in the workplace and in the wider community.
It is a distinct and self -contained programme made up of a number of courses. It is a practical programme that makes wide use of active and student centred learning methodologies
It includes seven Student Tasks that bring together the different learning experiences that the students have gained from the courses they have taken.
It uses a unique system of assessment. The students’ work is assessed over the two years of the programme and they gain credits as they go along. Practicals, interviews and terminal written papers are among the different forms of assessment used. The students’ communication, problem solving and practical skills are also assessed.

How are students awarded credits?

As students complete their Leaving Certificate Applied course work they collect credits. It is possible to collect a total of 200 credits as outlined below


62 credits are awarded for completing the required courses
70 credits for the seven Student Tasks completed over the two years
68 credits for the examinations at the end of Year 2.

The Leaving Certificate Applied is awarded at three levels.


Pass - 120 -139 credits (60% -69%)
Merit - 140-169 credits (70%-84%)
Distinction - 170 –200 credits (85%-100%)

Students who accumulate fewer than 60 credits will receive a Record of Experience

The programme is divided into three main areas

Vocational Preparation

Work experience is essential to this element of the programme. Students are prepared for adult and working life through a range of courses and modules including English and Communication, Guidance, Job search, Work Experience, Enterprise, Community Work, Work and Living.


Vocational Education

All students take courses in Mathematical Applications and an Introduction to Information and Communication Technology.
They also choose two specialist courses from the following career related areas.
Active Leisure Studies
Agriculture/Horticulture
Childcare/Community Care
Craft and Design
Graphics and Construction studies
Engineering
Hair and Beauty
Hotel, Catering and Tourism
Office Administration and Customer Care
Information and Communications Technology

General Education

Students experience a broader dimension to their education through courses in Arts Education, Gaeilge, Modern Languages/Sign Language, Leisure and Recreation, Social Education. Students can also take other approved elective courses such as Religious Education and Science.
Each of the courses mentioned above are designed on a modular basis. A module is of thirty hours duration. Students must take a total of 44 modules over the two-year programme.