I've seen similarly named classes taught by university professors who were former highly respected practitioners. They're often taught as light intro/survey lec

I've seen similarly named classes taught by university professors who were former highly respected practitioners. They're often taught as light intro/survey lectures, usually a couple hours of lecture. I think that's the type of "masterclass" that the brand is named after. In the context where I saw these classes, they're very much a sort of "edutainment" to either market the university or to give alumni a taste of the college academic life they remember. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think having an unfamiliar subject presented to you in an enjoyable and understandable way is actually a really good thing for expanding your perspective. But that's very different from taking a class to gain proficiency. Of course there's also the other type of "master class" where a master teaches the nuances that set the masters apart from the "merely proficient".