Some 218 Leaving Cert students who sat the exam earlier this year have had their papers upgraded.
Up to 50 of the students may now be eligible for a higher points course at third-level than what they qualified for in September.
The Department said it decided to award the upgrade after examining the work of one examiner who marked the business studies paper.
The candidates were from 13 schools and had not appealed their results, a spokesman said.
Commenting on the upgrades, the Minister, Dr Woods, said: "The work of one examiner in Leaving Certificate business showed an above-average appeals percentage and this was at variance with the national pattern."
He said it was not detected until later than the normal appeals time-frame in September.
A spokesman said that from initial contact with the CAO it had proved "difficult to be precise" about how the upgrades may impact on the students' third-level choices.
