Who, What and Why... Subject Choices for Senior Cycle in a Second Level School

The subjects that the students chose for study at second level have a long-term consequence on the qualifications they receive from their schooling and the careers they are in a position to contemplate. The aim o f this study is to attempt to analyse what subjects are most commonly chosen, who is choosing these subjects and why they are opting for the subjects in question. The methods used in this research are questionnaires and interviews. The students are from an all girls secondary school, which eliminates gender as a variable in this study. However gender is discussed as a factor in shaping the academic self-image of the student. Similarly, as the school is in a middle class suburb and the students come from a relatively homogenous middle class background, class will be looked at only as a factor in shaping the aforementioned academic selfimage. The data and findings in this study are presented in the context of the current National picture and the current academic writing on the topic of subject choice at Senior Cycle Level.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

National University of Ireland Maynooth

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Guinan, Anne Marie

• Education

Language dc:language

en