I wish this method were more applicable outside of CS. Applied computer fields (meaning mostly programming, IT, DBA, networking, and the like) have more of an "it's what you know, not the letters after your name that matters" culture than just about any other field requiring any sort of specialized education that I know of. Unless it's for your own personal knowledge, going this route in a field like chemistry or biology will get you nowhere professionally (and may not even be possible in fields like experimental physics).