Bruce A. Elleman was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1959. He received his BA from UC Berkeley in 1982, an MA in 1984, a master of philosophy degree in 1987, an East Asian Certificate in 1988, and his PhD in 1993 at Columbia University. In addition, he completed a master of sciences degree at the London School of Economics in 1985, and a master of arts in national security and strategic studies (with distinction) at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, in 2004.