Java parsing XML document gives "Content not allowed in prolog." error

I am writing a program in Java that takes a custom XML file and parses it. I'm using the XML file for storage. I am getting the following error in Eclipse.

[Fatal Error] :1:1: Content is not allowed in prolog.
org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: Content is not allowed in prolog.
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.DOMParser.parse(DOMParser.java:239)
    at     com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.DocumentBuilderImpl.parse(DocumentBuilderImpl.java:283  )
    at javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilder.parse(DocumentBuilder.java:208)
    at me.ericso.psusoc.RequirementSatisfier.parseXML(RequirementSatisfier.java:61)
    at me.ericso.psusoc.RequirementSatisfier.getCourses(RequirementSatisfier.java:35)
    at     me.ericso.psusoc.programs.RequirementSatisfierProgram.main(RequirementSatisfierProgram.java:23  )

The beginning of the XML file is included:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<PSU>
     <Major id="IST">
        <name>Information Science and Technology</name>
        <degree>B.S.</degree>
        <option> Information Systems: Design and Development Option</option>
        <requirements>
            <firstlevel type="General_Education" credits="45">
                <component type="Writing_Speaking">GWS</component>
                <component type="Quantification">GQ</component>

The program is able to read in the XML file but when I call DocumentBuilder.parse(XMLFile) to get a parsed org.w3c.dom.Document, I get the error above.

It doesn't seem to me that I have invalid content in the prolog of my XML file. I can't figure out what is wrong. Please help. Thanks.