Is it weird to have a one-year, master's level "general studies" program?
Unless you have some weakness in your undergraduate record, I doubt that this program or another masters will &quot;strengthen up&quot; your PhD application. Most US students apply for doctoral studies immediately after the BS.
And doing it now, rather than later, will give you experience at the doctoral institution with faculty contacts, etc, that can build up your reputation there.
And most doctoral programs will have coursework first, though not &quot;random&quot; courses. Do it now.
I'll guess that most of the students in such a program are not in preparation for a doctorate, but seeking a terminal MS for some purpose.

Note that outside the US, the situation is often very different with an MS required for doctoral study in some situations. Not so the US, however.