
Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Anthropology
- 3–7 players
- 45 min
- 2005

2005
Rules assistance for Mad Scientist University
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mad Scientist University is a board game released in 2005 for 3–7 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Zachary William Anderson and its main mechanics are Player Judge and Storytelling.
A party game originally from Raiding Party Games, and republished by Atlas Games in 2007, Mad Scientist University is a storytelling game where each player in turn takes on the role of an evil genius Teacher's Assistant (TA) at the Mad Scientist University. Each TA holds a class challenging the students (everyone else) to come up with a way to meet a goal given certain elements listed on distributed cards (Create Perpetual Motion with Lawn Gnomes, for example). Each student brainstorms and then gives a short presentation detailing their plan, and the TA awards the card with the goal to the 'best' plan by whatever criteria the TA wishes (evil geniuses get to be snarky, after all). The winner is the student with the most won goal cards after everyone has led a course. Expanded by: Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Home Economics Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Independent Study Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Medicine Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Physical Education Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Physics Mad Scientist University Course Packet: PSI PHI Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Spring Break Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Theater Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Winter Break Mad Scientist University Course Packet: Zoology
Mad Scientist University supports 3–7 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Mad Scientist University is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Mad Scientist University for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Mad Scientist University has a complexity rating of 1.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Mad Scientist University belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Player Judge and Storytelling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Mad Scientist University are: Zachary William Anderson. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Mad Scientist University as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.