Berdahl taught history at OU from 1967 to 1986. During that time he was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1981 to 1986 while Paul Olum was OU president. Olum also was forced to retire in a fight over resources for the university. Berdahl then was vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for seven years. He then was president of the University of Texas for four years.