revial: If it hasn't already been linked, MIT has done something similar for years and years (for at least the past decade at least).

http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

One of the original intents was for those who just wanted to learn a subject matter on their own, as opposed to how most of us end up worrying more about getting the degree than we do about actually learning anything useful.

As I went to a hippy dippy liberal arts college, I would supplement some of my coursework with a class or two a semester of self-study from the more right-brain subject matter you can find there.

I'll let you all get back to your internet shouting match now.