You can do it (research this topic, take all the notes you like, bring them into class, answer some questions (possibly in long-form), ... At least some univer

You can do it (research this topic, take all the notes you like, bring them into class, answer some questions (possibly in long-form), ... At least some university do exactly this for the Comprehensive Exam required as one part of a master's degree. My wife is preparing for something very much like you described for her master's in history right now.