EuraStudy
EuraStudy assistant
Skip to content
EuraStudyGuides
CurriculaGuide catalogueFAQ
All guides →
All curriculum guides/Irish Leaving Certificate/Home Economics

IE·Subject guide

Home Economics

Leaving Certificate Home Economics (NCCA specification), Higher and Ordinary Level, with the SEC examination.

Editorially reviewed26 July 2026·Leaving Certificate
Complete topic map ↓Official sources ↗︎
Home Econ·Leaving Certificate
Topic nodes
13
Levels and pathways
2
Regions
1
Public references
2
Contents+
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Complete topic map
  3. 03Where this subject applies
  4. 04Official sources
  5. 05In-depth guides

Contents

  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Complete topic map
  3. 03Where this subject applies
  4. 04Official sources
  5. 05In-depth guides

Overview

Home Economics

Leaving Certificate Home Economics (NCCA specification), Higher and Ordinary Level, with the SEC examination.

Subject guide
Leaving Certificate
Topics mapped
13

Complete topic map

Complete topic map

Every topic recorded for this subject in the curriculum is reproduced below in its full hierarchy. The descriptions reflect the mapped scope without implying additional exam rules.

  1. 01

    Core 1 – Food Studies: Food Science and Nutrition

    Study of the chemical and nutritional properties of nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, water) and their roles, sources and effects of processing on the body.

  2. 02

    Core 1 – Diet and Health

    Examination of dietary requirements across the lifecycle, the Irish diet, energy balance, and diet-related health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

  3. 03

    Core 1 – Food Commodities and Preparation

    Properties, dietary value, choice and culinary use of food commodities (meat, fish, eggs, milk, cereals, fruit and vegetables) together with cooking processes, sauces, pastry and sensory analysis.

  4. 04

    Core 1 – Food Technology and Preservation

    Principles of food processing, packaging and labelling, food additives, food microbiology, hygiene, and methods of food preservation.

  5. 05

    Core 2 – Family Resource Management

    Management of family resources including time, energy, money and skills, with household financial management covering budgeting, income, credit, savings and insurance.

  6. 06

    Core 2 – Household Technology

    Selection, operation and safe use of household appliances based on motors, heating elements and refrigeration, along with energy efficiency in the home.

  7. 07

    Core 2 – Consumer Studies

    Consumer behaviour, retail outlets and psychology, consumer rights and responsibilities, consumer protection legislation and the agencies that support consumers.

  8. 08

    Core 3 – The Family in Society

    Study of family structures, functions and historical development, and the role of the family as a unit within wider society.

  9. 09

    Core 3 – Marriage and the Family as a Caring Unit

    Marriage, separation, nullity and divorce, family law, the rights of children, and the family's role in caring for its members.

  10. 10

    Practical Coursework (Food and Culinary Skills Journal)

    Mandatory two-year practical food and culinary assignments recorded in a coursework journal, submitted to the SEC and worth 20% of the overall marks.

  11. 11

    Elective 1 – Home Design and Management

    In-depth study of housing, home design and the planning, organisation and management of the domestic environment as an extension of the core resource-management content.

  12. 12

    Elective 2 – Textiles, Fashion and Design

    Study of fibres, fabrics, garment construction and design and fashion principles, including a practical textile/garment project that is inspected and graded.

  13. 13

    Elective 3 – Social Studies

    Extended study of social change and the family, education, work and unemployment, childcare, poverty and leisure within contemporary Irish society.

Where this subject applies

Where this subject applies

These pathways and regions are explicitly connected to the subject in the curriculum.

Levels and pathways

  1. 01

    Higher Level

    Higher Level — the more demanding level, with broader and deeper content and the H1–H8 grade scale.

  2. 02

    Ordinary Level

    Ordinary Level — the foundational level covering the core of the syllabus, graded O1–O8.

Official sources

Official sources

The public sources below are referenced directly by this subject or by one of its topics.

This editorial selection points to the relevant official bodies. Always confirm current requirements, dates and exceptional arrangements with your school and the responsible authority.

2
Public references

S·01National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)Leaving Certificate subject specifications & syllabusesOpen source↗︎S·02State Examinations Commission (SEC)State Examinations Commission — Leaving Certificate examination & marking schemesOpen source↗︎

In-depth guides

In-depth guides

G·01How to read your Leaving Certificate specificationYour subject specification and the SEC exam papers are the documents your exam is written from. How to find the right ones, read them the way an examiner does, and turn them into a checklist.2 min read→G·02Your Leaving Cert study plan: an 8-week methodA realistic eight-week Leaving Cert study plan: an honest audit, subjects in rotation with active recall, orals and projects planned in, full papers to finish.8 min read→G·03How does the Leaving Certificate work? Papers, levels and gradingNCCA specifications and SEC exams, Higher and Ordinary Level, H1–H8 and O1–O8 grades, orals, projects and marking schemes: how the Leaving Cert fits together.7 min read→

Open curriculum guide →

IE · EuraStudy Guides

Place this subject inside the complete curriculum.

Open the curriculum guide to see every subject and topic, or continue to EuraStudy to begin working with the material.

Open curriculum guide →Prepare for the Leaving Cert →
EuraStudy

Bringing AI into Europe's education, from final exams to university.

Contact supporteurastudy@gmail.com

Products

EuraStudyThe exam studio for twelve European school-leaving exams.
  • Features
  • Gubernik

Exams

  • Matura · Österreich
  • Abitur · Deutschland
  • Bac · France
  • Selectividad · España
  • Maturità · Italia
  • Exames Nacionais · Portugal
  • A-Levels · UK
  • Leaving Cert · Ireland
  • Matura · Polska
  • Πανελλαδικές · Ελλάδα
  • Havo · Nederland
  • Vwo · Nederland

Company

  • About
  • Research
  • News
  • Guides
  • FAQ
  • Contact

Legal

  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of use
© 2026 EuraStudy·All rights reserved.Made in Austria, for Europe