Current graduate student models of education reflect both traditional and contemporary pedagogical strategies. For professional degree programs centered on leadership and human services providing traditional instruction combined with experience-based and real-world learning is necessary. This paper shares a brief overview of graduate education pedagogy and a more in-depth description and review of a graduate course at a mid-sized private urban university. The course, Institutional Planning and Evaluation, marks a stark difference from most graduate courses: emphasizing practice-based learning and front-loading the materials so students can serve as consultants for a local nonprofit agency. The intentional design, based on accomplishing specific learning outcomes, was a positive learning experience for all constituents and is applicable to other graduate courses and programs.