This research examined the role of men within the gender and development paradigm and male students’ perceptions of gender-related work in the professional practice of IDEV. The study addressed men’s experiences with both formal and non-formal gender training in IDS within Canadian and US graduate programs. The study asked questions about influential theory, skills and tools relevant to the GAD paradigm. The methods included an online survey of males in IDS graduate programs from five North American universities. Key informants were also interviewed, including faculty members from four universities and two senior level gender advisors working for large non-profit organizations. The findings were presented as four emerging themes: 1) Despite exposure to some gender training opportunities, many male graduate students are not engaged with theory and practise on GAD; 2) The relevance of men in GAD continues to be questioned by the field and men themselves; 3) There is little “buy in” to gender in IDEV by men studying IDS at the graduate level; 4) The field of GAD is primarily operating without the active engagement of men and therefore, is better associated with WID’s “women’s focused” policy and programming, an approach the UN acknowledges to have failed in the past. The study recommends adjustments within IDS graduate studies as well as further research on men and masculinity to strengthen the role of men in achieving GAD’s stated goal of gender equality.