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Description Of Certificate Examinations

	Please click on the dropdown menu below to navigate through each of the State Examination Certificates.

The Junior Certificate Examination

The Junior Certificate examination is held at the end of the Junior Cycle in post-primary schools. The Junior Cycle caters for students in the 13 to 15 year old age group. Students normally sit for the examinations at the age of 14 or 15, after 3 years of post-primary education.

However, candidature for the examination is not limited to post-primary school students. A candidate following an approved course of study outside the State or who is attending an approved course of study organised under the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme , Adult Literacy and Community Education Schemes, the Department of Social and Family Affairs second-level scheme for the unemployed or an analogous scheme, may be admitted to the examinations on payment of the appropriate fee.

Subject Choice
The examination is offered in the following subjects and levels. For curriculum information for each of these subjects please click on this link to the website of the Department of Education and Science.


SUBJECT		LEVEL

	Irish		Higher, Ordinary and Foundation

	English		Higher, Ordinary and Foundation

	Mathematics		Higher, Ordinary and Foundation

	History		Higher and Ordinary

	Geography		Higher and Ordinary

	French		Higher and Ordinary

	German		Higher and Ordinary

	Spanish		Higher and Ordinary

	Italian		Higher and Ordinary

	Art, Craft & Design		Higher and Ordinary

	Music		Higher and Ordinary

	Science		Higher and Ordinary

	Science (with Local Studies)		Higher and Ordinary

	Home Economics		Higher and Ordinary

	Materials Technology (Wood)		Higher and Ordinary

	Metalwork		Higher and Ordinary

	Technical Graphics		Higher and Ordinary

	Business Studies		Higher and Ordinary

	Typewriting		Higher and Ordinary

	Environmental and Social Studies (ESS)		Higher and Ordinary

	Technology		Higher and Ordinary

	Latin		Higher and Ordinary

	Ancient Greek		Higher and Ordinary

	Classical Studies		Higher and Ordinary

	Hebrew Studies		Higher and Ordinary

	Religious Education		Higher and Ordinary

	Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE)		Common

Other EU Language Subjects
Examinations in a number of other EU language subjects are also offered on a non-curricular basis and subject to candidates meeting certain criteria.
Please click here for further information.

Subject Exclusions
Candidates may not take any of following subject combinations:
1. Classical Studies and Latin
2. Classical Studies and Greek

Composition of the Examination
The examination incorporates written tests in all subjects except Art, Craft and Design. There are optional oral examinations in the subjects Irish, French, German, Italian and Spanish. There are practical examinations in Art, Craft and Design; Music; Home Economics Metalwork (Higher Level only). There is Practical Course Work in Art, Craft and Design; Materials technology (Wood); Home Economics; Religious Education; Metalwork; Environmental and Social Studies and Civic, Social and Political Education, Technology and Science.

Grading
Results of the Junior Certificate examination subjects are given in the form of grades. Each grade represents a percentage range of marks as follows.


Percentage Range		Grade

	85 or over		A

	70 but less than 85		B

	55 but less than 70		C

	40 but less than 55		D

	25 but less than 40		E

	10 but less than 25		F

	Less than 10		No Grade

Page last updated: June 02 2010, 15:36 GMT

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