Subject Summary
Leaving Certificate Accounting provides students with the knowledge, understanding and skills in accounting and financial management necessary for managing personal and basic company accounts. The learning experiences in accounting develop students’ organisational, logical thinking, planning and problem solving skills for their future life, work and study. It also develops their numeracy skills within the context of business and enterprise. Accounting covers aspects of business and social life which are not dealt with in any other subject in that programme. It is concerned with the preparation, recording, extraction, presentation and analysis of financial information for the purpose of making economic decisions. The course also involves a Management Accounting section where the student will learn how to analyse business costs and how to prepare budgets. This business subject teaches the skills and knowledge needed to understand how business works.
Why study
For those considering studying accounting, actuarial studies or finance after the Leaving Cert it would be unwise to leave Accounting out of their subject choice. It would also be an important subject choice for those thinking of starting their own business. While not required specifically for studying any third level college course, it would be really recommended if Accountancy is the career path you want to follow.
Commonly seen as the mathematical side of business, accounting attracts the more numerate student. It teaches students the bookkeeping side of business but delves deeper, teaching students to analyse and interpret the figures. Once you can understand and adhere to the basic rules of accountancy it is a subject that you can do very well in. Accountancy provides a valuable foundation for all business functions and many top executives have an accountancy background. Most chief executive officers of public limited companies have some sort of accountancy qualification.
Students taking Accounting at senior level can expect to work extremely hard but the rewards are great for students who are organised and pay attention to detail with their work.
Course Content
Accounting at senior cycle is divided into two sections:
1. Financial Accounting
2. Management Accounting
Within Financial Accounting students will study accounts such as those listed below:
Trading Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Published Accounts with accompanying notes, Cash flow Statements, Club accounts, Service Firm Accounts, Farm Accounts, Depreciation and Revaluation of assets and Ratio Analysis. The Management Accounting Section of the paper examines Costing and Budgeting
The subject is examined at higher and ordinary level.
Exam Structure
Both levels involve one exam of three hours duration.
The exam paper is made up of three sections, the first two are based on the Financial Accounting section of the course and the third covers the Management Accounting section. Questions must be answered from all sections of the exam paper.
Section 1
Answer Q1 (guaranteed question) or answer 2 out of 3 shorter questions
Section 2
Answer 2 out of 3 questions
Section 3
Answer 1 out of 2 questions
Career Possibilities
1. Accountant
2. Bookkeeper
3. Actuary
4. Finance
5. Business owner
6. Marketing
Example of a Leaving Certificate paper
https://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2018/LC032ALP000EV.pdf