The Animal Science program is rooted in the educational philosophy of "four-in-one" which integrats school values, knowledge exploration, capacity building, and personality development. Its primary objective is to cultivate outstanding innovative talents with noble character, wisdom, benevolence, a healthy physique, aesthetic appreciation, labor skills, a strong sense of social responsibility, and an international perspective. These talents will systematically grasp the modern theoretical and practical systems of animal science. Upon completion of the program, they will become future technological elites and industry leaders.

Oriented towards national strategic needs and international frontiers, the Animal Science program implements a broad-based model that integrates general education. The program aims to foster excellent innovative talents with a sense of social responsibility and an international outlook who systematically master modern animal science theories and practical systems. The main research directions include animal infectious disease prevention and control, infection and pathogenic mechanisms of pathogenic microorganisms, zoonoses and model animals, animal genetics, breeding, reproduction, nutrition, and feed. The program has a rich history of undertaking national and provincial-level scientific research projects, which has helped it forge its distinct professional characteristics. It has become an important platform for talent cultivation, innovative research, social services, and international cooperation and exchanges. Graduates of the Animal Science program enjoy favorable employment prospects, diverse options for further studies, numerous opportunities for overseas study, and can pursue careers in teaching, research, clinical practice, management (including civil service and animal quarantine), among other fields.

The Department of Animal Science currently has 26 faculty members, including 10 professors and 11 associate professors. All faculty members hold doctoral degrees, and most have studied or trained abroad. The department is authorized to grant master's degrees in the first-level discipline of veterinary medicine, including both academic master's and professional master's degrees. It also possesses a provincial-level key laboratory and a BSL-2 laboratory.

The Department of Animal Science attaches great importance to talent cultivation and teaching,with a current enrollment of 68 students. It has received over 30 various titles and honors, including national-level excellent online courses, national-level first-class undergraduate courses, Baogang Excellent Teacher Awards, Shanghai Municipal Key Courses, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Teaching Awards, Online Education Famous Teacher Studios, Shiyu Studios, Kaiyuan Top Ten Teacher Awards, Tang Lixin Teaching Master Awards, and Excellence in Teaching Awards.

The Department of Animal Science has established undergraduate double-degree programs, joint graduate cultivation, and scientific research cooperation relationships with internationally renowned universities such as Cornell University in the United States, the University of Melbourne in Australia, the University of Surrey in the UK, Hebrew University in Israel, the Royal Veterinary College in the UK, and Chiba University in Japan.

The curriculum system of the Animal Science program consists of four major categories: general education courses (10 credits), professional education courses (84 credits), practical education courses (36.5 credits), and personalized education courses (6 credits), totaling 168.5 credits.

The Animal Science program has a four-year duration. Students who complete the prescribed courses and practical training within the prescribed study period, obtain the required 168.5 credits, finish their graduation design (thesis), pass the defense, and meet the swimming proficiency test requirements will be granted graduation. Those who meet the requirements outlined in "Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Regulations on Awarding Bachelor's Degrees" will be awarded a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture.