The Department of Physical Education of Shanghai Jiaotong University was founded in 1986 and is now one of the departments directly under Jiaotong University. After more than ten years of construction, it has formed four teaching and research sections: boxing, small ball, track and field and big ball. 1998 jiaotong university institute of physical education (including reference room) was established. In 2002, the "Shanghai Jiaotong University Student Physical Fitness Testing Center" and the "Shanghai Jiaotong University International Table Tennis Exchange Center" were established.
In 2000, it was approved as a master's degree awarding point and began to recruit master's students majoring in physical education and training.